Rukiea smiled. "Yeah. He was never like this. But I know the day Zane died changed him. He may have replaced himself with another man, but Jake basically did die. Zane was his best friend. You don't even know how close they were.  Tell me, was Jake always hanging around with Zane, even when he was supposed to be somewhere else?"

Jake nodded. "Thank you!" He called out to her. He turned on the water and looked at his leg. "Stupid shards cut me." Jake removed his clothes and dropped them outside the door. He yawned and got in the tub. He hated showers. He sat in the tub as it filled with water. He sighed and looked at his growing hair. "I need a hair cut."

Rosalie nodded, and said, "Yeah, he was. But they were always put on *censored*ignments together, I wouldn't separate them. Of my personal guards, they were the closest of friends. In Zane's life, JAke was second only to me. And yes, I was in charge of their team, because they, and a few others, were *censored*igned to protect my sisters and I. Being the oldest, I had control over that unit."

Leena grabbed up Jake's clothes, continuing down the hallway and walking upstairs. She went into Maybell's room, expecting to find it empty. (She had been planing to change the sheets, ect.)  Instead, she found a tied-up man, and Princess Leita. "Who's he?!", She cried out, jumping.

Rukiea smiled. "Yeah. He only wrote me one letter. Jake wrote to me that he knew you were first when it came to friends, but he also said it was because he loved you. He said Zane was like a brother and he loved him like one. Jake hated the fact the King had accused them off the princess' killings even thought they were doing all they could to protect them. Jake's only friend was sentenced to death soon after and i'm guessing he was devistated. He was lucky he switched himself with someone else."

Jake yawned and began to scrub his beaten body. As the dust and dirt began to come off, tattoos, cuts, and bruises were now visible. His face had a large scar over his right eye and he had a bruise on his cheek. He sighed. "Why am I the one always punished for ammiture fighters failures?" He drained the water and refilled the tub.

"I'm glad Jake survived. As long as he and I are alive, Zane's memory will live on.", Maybell said softly, nodding.

((P.S. What does Jake look like picture-wise? XD I imagine him like Zane in our other roleplay, but with brown hair. You? *I just want to know how to imagine him* ))

 "I'm Mallick. Nice to meet you too.", Mallick said dryly, his face irritated and sarcastic-looking.

"Princes, why is he here? Should I alert your father?", Leena asked, still surprised, having dropped Jake's laundry on the floor.

Rukiea nodded. "Yeah.. He's always looking so off now though. He seems to be off in a different world..."

Jake grabbed some shampoo and squeezed it onto his hair. He scrubbed hard and his dark brown hair was now it's origonal color: Dirty blonde.

((I'l get u a pic of Jake.))

(('Kay!~ ^_^ ))

"I have realized that...", Maybell sighed, shaking her head, "He's changed so much..."

"Nevermind, I will return for the bedding later.", Leena sighed, retrieving the grimy clothes from the floor and scurrying off to the laundry room, promply cleaning them as best she could and drying them on a rack. When they were finnished, not a speck of dirt remained.

"Oh, no no. There will be no need for that. At least, I don't think there will be. You see, Jay and Rukiea captured him and I'm sure they will be back soon to take care of him." Leita quickly explained. "Please continue with what you were doing."

Jay stood silently by and listened. "Alright," He finally spoke up. "We should get inside by now. We still have to deal with Mallick tonight."

((http://media.photobucket.com/image/anime%20guy/I_Hate_Kikyo/Hotswordsman.jpg?o=137 This is wat Jake looks like.))

Rukiea nodded. "Yeah. Let's go inside. Jake shoudl have more info anyways."

Jake yawned and looked around. He grabbed a towel and drained the tub. He stepped out with the towel aroudn his waist. He walked out into the hall. "Leena!!" He coughed.

Ooc: Whoops. I had late post. Go ahead and ignore what Leita said.

Bic: Leita laughed as Leena laughed. "I pity her. She must have been freaked out to see one of the princesses in a room with a man tied by rope!"

"Let's just hope he will tell us without being so serious." Jay said as he lead the way back in.

"I hope so...", Maybel said softly, shaking her head slightly, almost unnoticably, following her two friends, "I do dearly hope so."

 Leena quickly grabbed up Jake's clothing, and walked swiftly through the halls until she reached the washroom, where Jake stood waiting for her. "You could have stayed inside.", she chuckled, blushing at Jake's exposed condition as she handed him his clothed. When she got a better look at him, Leena let out a sharp gasp. Before her was a man who had been tortured and beaten countless times. A scar was above his right eye, not to mention countless cuts, bruises, and even a few tattoos. "What.. Happened to you?", she asked, surprised. ((Leena's gonna become a bigger character. Hope you don't mind, but I'm thinking she'll fall in love with Jake. XD))

Rukiea nodded. "Don't worry, he's my brother and I know he wil give up any information as long as he knows he can't do any harm to himself. But then again, he was concerned about something in his letters to me."

Jake looked at Leena and then at his cuts. "Oh this... It's just because of my squad members. They screw something up and I end up getting whipped or beaten becasue of it. I'm fine. I just need some medical help right now." He grabbed his clothes and smiled. "I haven't seen these old things lookin gso new..." He smiled. "Oh yeah, can you show me how to clean my boots? They are a bit muddy from all my travels."

((I don't mind that. But Rukiea will need someone soon.. JayXRosalie, JakeXLeena, RukieaX.....))

((RukieaXMallick? XD I dunno... DX ))

"I'm sorry about that...", Leena said softly, looking up into Jake's blue eyes, "I can't see how someone could punish an innocent man for the faults of another. And, yes. I can help you with your boots. I've cleaned shoes more grimy than yours." To herself, Leena thought, "How could he have been punished so harshly? And for another's mistakes, at that. How cruel some people are." A lump rose in Leena's throat at the thought of what Jake must have gone through. And how handsome he was.

((Depends on what mallick looks like..))

Jake smiled. "Thanks. Your a big help. Please excuse me for a second." He walked into the bathroom and dried himself off. He changed into his clothes and dried his hair. He found some bandage wrap and wrapped it around his wrists before putting on his gloves. He walked back out, holding his boots in his hand. "Okay, what's first?" He smiled and felt really clean. his clothes were finally clean after so long and he looked at the maid. "You okay?"

Jay glanced over to Rukiea. "Did he ever mention what exactly it was that he was worried about?"

Leita walked around her sisters room and finally took a seat on her bed. She let out a sigh. "What's taking them so long?" She asked to no in particular. 

Rukiea nodded. "Yes, he said he was worried about his master. He usually beats Jake and can see his every move with a small crystal ball. He can't leave his master unless he is either killed, commits suicide, or another clan takes Jake and breaks his crystal. He doesnt want his master to know that Jake plans to someday kill him."

((XD One sec...))

Leena nodded and replied in a gentile, soft, tone, "Your welcome. And yes, I'm fine."  "At least for now, I will be. Until you leave, I will be perfectly okay.", she thought, blushing slightly. "First", she said, "We need to get a wet towel, and wipe away the grime from the tops. After that, you use a hoof pick to clean the bottoms. I'll show you." Leena went into the washroom, returning with one of the towels Jake had used. She took one of his boots, rubbing the surface with the cloth until it was clean. "I'll do the other one, if you want me to. Than we can go to the stables and finish the job.", she said, standing and dusting herself off.

((okay.))

Jake smiled. "Please." He handed her his other boot as he held the other one. "Wow, they really do have a shine to them..." Jake looked at Leena. "I really like this castle. I won't get beat here. Do you mind convincing the King to let me stay? My master will be upset if I dont return soon unless i'm invited to stay here."

((59916.jpg))

Leena nodded, taking the other boot and cleaning it as well. "What do you mean to say? Are you a slave of some sort?", she asked, concerned, "The way you speak of him, it is as if he owns you. I am certain you would be allowed to stay here, especially if my king were to find out about how horribly you have been treated." She handed the second boot to Jake and smiled, thinking, "I hope you are allowed to stay. I've never met someone like him."

((wow!! Yes!! I luvs!))

Jake nodded. "Yes, I am a slave. Shackled by my wrists and ankles until i'm let out to go on a mission. He makes us work for huge money and we shed a lot of blood. If we screw up, the captain takes the worst beating of everyone." Jake removed his gloves and unwrapped the bandage. It revealed a red ring around Jake's wrists. They were deep red as thought they were on too tight, and they were. "That's what happens."