The skies of Hanover (and surrounding lands)

Flying onward, Ludwig checked the weight at his back every so often to ensure that Feliciano was there and safe, as were their belonings.

He saw his brother having no issue, it seemed, keeping Matthew on his back, though it was obviously a new experience to the blond. While he had to do a few more adjustments in his flight that he hadn't anticipated, his brother seemed to have no issue in that regard. He was curious who Gilbert had deigned to allow ride him before.

He thought of how readily he had agreed to take Feliciano on and wondered if there was something similar in that regard, but he wasn't aware of his brother having had a mate. Admittedly, while Ludwig had still been a young teen, Gilbert had left home to make his name and after that, Ludwig was gone often, but they'd seen one another every so often.

'Are you still doing well up there?'

Arms wrapped around Ludwig's strong neck, Feliciano was enjoying the flight, suddenly oblivious of the fact that the tops of the trees were so far below them.

Although Feliciano wasn't brave (and this was still a kind way to put it), he sometimes enjoyed things that others would call dangerous, like riding horses - very fast, very carelessly. He still seemed lucky enough (or maybe even good enough), and he had never had any accident of sort. The flight on the griffin's back was just a crazier, faster ride, and he was still to excited by the new experience to feel sick for the speed and the height.

"Everything's alright up here, yes!" he yelled back, almost directly in the griffin's ear, not sure that the prince could hear him in the strong blowing wind.

He turned to look at the white griffin and at Matt. It seemed like the two of them were doing good, and he waved in their direction.

“Goggles, eh? Well it would be nice to be able to look somewhere other than down,” Matthew agreed. He pushed his up glasses as far as they would go comfortably, but it was still a poor substitute. Though at least now he could see Feliciano waving at him a short distance over.

He waved back enthusiastically and tried to say hello, though Feliciano most likely couldn’t hear his voice over the wind. As much as Matthew had been dreading this, now he thought that this was actually really exciting and enjoyable.

Well, as enjoyable as something that didn’t let him keep one foot on the ground could be.

(How did I not see this new thread? Augh, I’m sorry.)

"If you feel brave enough, some time we will try tricks, when it isn't so important to get to my uncle's quickly. If there's something griffins love to do, it is to show off."

He smiled as he felt Feliciano's arms around his neck. He couldn't know for sure that the smaller man was his mate, he had a very strong pull toward him, and the pleasant presence at his back.

It wasn't long before he could see the palace in the distance, though they were still a few moments away from reaching the hilltop castle. The white and golden stones glistened in the late day sun. As the sun was preparing to set, he knew that it would soon pick up the purple, orange and reddish hues that would eventually fill the ky.

The white griffin flew alongside his golden brother as the two humans tried to make contact over the heavy winds.

Gilbert felt his feathers ruffle in a surprisingly content way when the young man on his back agreed to goggles. Perhaps he could once again have someone to fly with. He closed his eyes against the sun at the thought. Perhaps it would be alright—to have a flying partner after so long. It would be alright to make friends with a human for that.

"Yes," he called back in response to Matthew. "It is a crime you cannot see what I can."

(I missed it for a few days too )

(for some reason I keep reading the thread's title as "Hangover".)


"Tricks? Sounds fun~" Feliciano agreed.
He hadn't thought of Ludwig as someone who liked showing off, but he seemed to change slightly when he turned into griffin.
His grab around the other prince's neck tightened a bit, just in case Ludwig decided to give him a first sample of what the tricks he was thinking of felt like. Feliciano wasn't scared of Ludwig dropping him, though, the flight was going smoothly, and although they were so high above the ground, the griffin's body beneath him felt strong enough and safe.

He still couldn't keep his eyes well opened because of the strong wind, but he could see the shape of something different than the tree tops in the distance, shining in the sun.

"What is that?" he asked, releasing his grab to point at the horizon.


(should we be attacked by something? A flying monster? Where are Ivan and the dragon? D: //*shot*)

Sretya crouched low to the ground, spreading her wings in preparation for flight. The griffins had taken off already, leaving the clearing blissfully quiet and thrumming with pent up energy. With a click of his tongue the dragon launched into the air with a beat of her massive wings, taking then whistling through the clouds. They caught up quickly with the griffins and flew just above them, providing a large bit of shade.

[ I am soo sorry! Its been a really hectic two weeks }

Ludwig glanced up at the dragon above him and then back at Feliciano. "Do you see the castle ahead? That is Uncle's palace." He continued flying onward, wondering why the palace wasn't preparing to lower the gates. By now, the should have had the guards at the tower inspecting the approaching visitors. To see the golden griffin along with the white one would be a clear sign it was Ludwig and Gilbert.

So why on earth was the palace still on high guard. That meant only that something terrible had happened at the castle or that it was under attack.

"Feliciano. Hold on. Something isn't right." He projected his voice so that his brother and hopefully Ivan could hear it. "Something is wrong. They aren't lowering the gates. Look around for someone attacking or for a way to signal the guards from below."

((We could be under attack or there could be trouble with Luddy and Gilbo's uncle. We'd talked about him being killed, as part of the plot. But that's up to everyone)

((sounds pretty cool to me, the attack still going on or finished, and him being killed. I'll leave the description of the situation to you though, since I'll be away until sunday evening or monday))


Feliciano squinted in the sunlight to focus the shape of the castle in the distance. Now that they were getting closer, he could actually see it quite well, a palace with high towers and walls around it, standing out against the sky on the top of the hill. He was on the point of saying how majestic it looked, and how glad he was that they were already reaching their destination, when Ludwig's tone changed, as he alerted his companions that something might be happening in the castle.

Feliciano looked anxiously at the hill, but he couldn't see anything. He glanced nervously behind, but the sky was clear and empty, a part from a few black dots that were birds.

Could the place they had chosen as a start for planning a defense or trying to discover what was going on would turn out to be a trap of some sort? He lowered on Ludwig's back, tightening the grab of his arms around his neck again, not scared yet, but worried for the possible danger.

Gilbert heard his brother's concern and felt himself instinctually slow his pace, keeping his passenger and himself from danger. The castle did in fact look like it had been taken, and he was certain the longbow archers were at the ready. His eyes flicked to the golden griffin ahead of him and to the small man on his brother's back. His brother was not used to flying with humans.

Calling out, Gilbert raised his altitude slightly, making sure to stay out of effective arrow range. "Ludwig, you cannot dodge attacks as efficiently with your human on you. Stay back."

The older brother looked back to the dragon and her master. Griffins were tough creatures—but dragons were more so. They were built with a natural armor over most of their bodies.

"Ivan," he called. "Can you see the status of the castle?"

(I’m cool with anything. What’s happening with the uncle’s mate? Something to keep in mind. Btw: Never told you Ivan, but Sretya is a gorgeous name.)

"Give me a moment~" Sretya shoot forward like an arrow, swooping low over the castle and circling. What he saw wasn't pretty. Gardens and fields that he assumed had been blossoming with blooms and heavy with the budding crops were now gray and smoking. Bodies were being carried to one large pyre in the central courtyard to be burned and feathers were scattered about like they had rained down from the heavens. Ivan directed Sretya back to the others, circling just below them agitatedly.

"The castle vas or is either under siege or has been over run. It is hard to tell from all the smoke and I do not know vhat your Uncles uniform is....but it does not look good. The archers are looking for you I think, they did not see me." Ivan stroked his dragons neck trying to calm her down. She was not used to this sort of carnage and was excited for battle.

"If you need to get into the castle unnoticed I vill provide enough of a distraction for you to do so."

Ludwig was torn. He wanted to storm in as his nature so often ordered in battle. He wanted to avenge what was done to his people. He knew, by the tight arms around his neck, that he couldn't risk doing that. He couldn't have Feliciano being hurt because Ludwig rushed them both into battle.

"We need to find a way inside. Discreetly," he said. He could only hope that his uncle and mate had survived and were now seeing to the dead. He suspected that was not the case. If either Leopold or Nikolaus been killed, the castle would have been under strict orders to remain on guard and allow no one in without special request or being a relative of the family.

And if the worst had happened and the castle was under other rule, then they would need to take care of the situation themselves.

"Though, Ivan, if you hear cries of mourning from the griffins... it will likely mean a great deal of death but that the castle is still possessed by my people."

The mates of those taken would raise their voices to the air as they would be forced to burn the bodies of their loved one. In mass deaths like this, of which Ludwig had only heard of rather than seen, it seemed almost organized in its pain.

(It's up to you all if you want the castle to be totally taken over or recovering from a vicious attack. I kind of like the idea of the uncle's mate, Nikolaus, surviving.)

(I don't have a character response right now, but I also think that the mate surviving would be a good move. If the castle is taken over, we will have more battle. I suppose it depends on how much you or Ivan would like to sort of GM.)

( what Gilbert said. (thank you btw <3) I don't mind either way but the castle being overrun give everyone more to do I think)

(yup. I was thinking something along the lines of them managing to fly inside, not too far from the main room where the thrones are, and they have to fight with a few enemy guards, then they manage to reach the main hall where they find the Uncle and his mate busy in fighting the enemies. They help them, managing to save the King's mate, but it's too late for the King himself. Or something.)

((that works for me. Ivan, do you want to take over the distraction and I'll head on for the castle?))

"I vill be off then~ Send up a signal if you need help." He nodded to Ludwig before Sretya swooped down over the battlements.

Arrows bounced harmlessly off the dragons scaly underbelly as she flew over before circling back to shoot white hot balls of flame at the attackers. The battlements exploded in a hail of molten rock and chard bodies causing further confusion and injury within the castle walls. Sretya landed in the innermost courtyard and let out a most unsettling high pitch screech that reverberated and was magnified in the soldiers helmets. The invaders were drawn towards the commotion leaving the outer walls unprotected and unwatched.

A spell whizzed passed, narrowly missing Ivan's head, and exploded against the opposite wall. Ivan cast a weak shield around the dragon, the spells bouncing back to their casters before puttering out. He slit his hand on one of Sretya's sharper scales and muttered a spell under his breath as the blood trickled into the dirt below. Roots sprung from the blackened earth, writhing and twisting around the invaders feet, rooting them to the ground. They hacked and stabbed at the vegetation , smaller tendrils grew, snaking their way under armor and into flesh. The parasitic plants burrowed up through the soldiers and out through any opening they could find to burst into colourful blooms as they hit the air.

That was at least three companies of soldiers down with some untold number left. Ivan patted Sretya's flank and she took off to circle the castle once more before settling on a turret to pick off any more threats with a burst of flame.

(umm...yeah...sorry it sucks and it look so long ORL )

(Ivan, so cool~)


Feliciano stared at Sretya and Ivan flying over towards the castle, soon welcomed by a flock of arrows. After a few moments, he didn't know whether to be more scared of those or of the fire balls the dragon shot as kind reply to their enemies' attack.

"They're trying to kill them!" he screamed, still not sure about who he was exactly referring to. Was the castle really taken by the enemies? And then, who the hell were their enemies, where did they come from, if they were able to take over a whole castle, which surely was well guarded by soldiers...
Anyway, Feliciano didn't have the time to consider the implications of these thoughts, what was really concerning him was that they were going to fly inside that castle, he knew it.

"...are we following them there?" he asked, his voice trembling. The idea wasn't enticing at all, but Feliciano didn't have any other choice than follow Ludwig. Sure enough, he couldn't just turn and run back from where they had come from, could he?

Ludwig glanced up at Ivan and the dragon, watching as arrows were fired at them and fireballs were volleyed off in return. He tilted his head back at Feliciano. "I have to follow them, Feliciano. Uncle is in there and it's my duty, my family." He wasn't entirely considering the fact that these would also be his lands one day, though the thought crossed his mind in passing as he watched Ivan and his magnificent dragon fly overhead. "I promised you I will keep you safe. I plan to keep that promise no matter what," he said. He then tried to meet his brother's eyes as he gestured with his front paw toward the rear of the castle.

With the huge dragon flying overhead, the enemies within the castle were understandably distracted. Even if Ludwig didn't trust Ivan entirely, he was grateful for the foreigner's presence. "Feliciano, hold on tightly. We're going to be doing a few of those tricks I told you of."

He waited until he was certain he felt Feliciano's arms tightening around his neck before tilting downward and angling his body for a steep descent.

(reviving the thread...?)


Feliciano grasp around Ludwig's neck tightened surely more than necessary. The idea of doing tricks had sounded good... until unespected enemies, arrows and fireballs weren't involved, that is.

"F-fine... I won't let go..." he surely wouldn't, Ludwig's neck and body were now everything he could hold on for his safety.
His head sunk in the griffin's plumage. If only they weren't suspended in the air, he could just run and hide somewhere until everything was over, but now, he didn't have any other choice than trusting Ludwig and his ability and strength.
...this didn't mean he wanted to know what was going to happen from now on, though.

His eyes closed, in a flash he saw his own palace guarded by enemy soldiers, the royal guards killed in the corridors and the yards, the city set on fire... what if this was happening home as well? Would he ever be as brave as the Rhynland princes, ready to face an unknown menace without second thoughts? He let out a small sigh, he had at least to find the courage to willingly follow his companions, now.

(Does CPR with Feli)

The white griffin watched as his younger brother dove head first into the pathway Ivan and his dragon had carved. He felt his feathers draw together and his fur stand on end as his tail whipped around behind them. Every ounce of his body was agitated that the coming flight for the human would not be the smoothest.

"Matthew, hold on." Gilbert gave the human a moment to prepare, then took off rapidly after Ludwig.

The flight was rough, but there was no one left to fire at them. Nothing left to attack. Ivan had done his job well.

(...whoops? *totally feels bad now*)

Now this was what Matthew had expected flying to be like. Though he was just glad that no one was shooting at them, which, from what he could tell, was thanks to Ivan. At first, the only thing he could think of was how to not fall off of Gilbert’s back. And though it wasn’t exactly something he could get used to, he managed it enough to be able to focus his attention on other things.

He wondered if the attack on the castle was somehow related to the assassination attempt the previous day and if so, Matthew was astounded by the quickness in action of whoever was behind this. Though whether it the incidents were related or not, the fact that Ludwig and Gilbert’s uncle’s castle was under attack was the most important thing.

Ludwig dove further down, heading for the hidden rear entrance to the castle. He scoured the area for any sign that the terrorists attacking his uncle's castle had managed to not only break through defenses, but actually discover the tunnels beneath.

He saw no soldiers walking by the area, not even the people who would have frequented the road between the castle and the nearby village. He took small circles around the area to ensure that it truly was safe, descending a bit closer each time. He began to dive down toward the very old, dry well. There were spells that protected the well, old ones that couldn't be destroyed by killing the caster, those that would make it easily unnoticed as well as slow and cushion a fall. To complete the ancient spells, only could those intentionally diving down the well could find the entrance at the bottom.

Unfortunately, it would likely terrify Ludwig's passenger.

"Keep your body tight to mine," he told Feliciano. "We're going down that well. We won't be hurt, I swear to you." All he could do was promise and hope the spells were still intact.

The well was not big enough for his wingspan, so even those would have to be tucked in close to his body to successfully get into the entrance without hurting himself. He dreaded the thought of Feliciano's reaction to that. He glanced back at Gilbert to ensure that he was going to do the same.

Ivan could not deny that they looked totally awesome and that he felt as awesome as they looked. He watched the griffins dive toward an only well that was practically oozing with magic. Not the most inconspicuous entrance but it would have to do. Sretya climbed down the turret, sticking her head into windows, looking for food no doubt. Or those nicely packaged people. The metal casings really helped them cook.

Feeling that they were slowing down the flight, Feliciano dared to rise his head and peer through the griffin's plumage. He didn't like what he saw, though. Were they really going to fly through that black hole?! They were still too high in the air for him to just release the grab and let himself fall down on the grass underneath, but there had to be another way to avoid that horribly scary way to enter the castle.

"W-what if you leave me here and I wait until you... oh." suddenly, he took conscience that the well was silently pulsating with magic. He couldn't tell much about the spells which had been casted there, but he could feel they weren't dangerous, and somehow, although he couldn't say they were welcoming, they gave him a sense of safety.
Anyway, the idea of flying down that hole still didn't sound appealing to him. He sunk his head in Ludwig's neck again, and held him with all his strength.