Hakima Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Link was secretly relieved when Catriona took Ciela from him. His arms were beginning to cramp up from being locked in one position for so long. He waited until he was sure both women were out of earshot before he slumped back into the wall, groaning, and finally stretched out his aching muscles. Link wasn’t sure if it was sleep deprivation, the aching in his head, or if he was letting himself go, but he failed to notice anyone approaching until he heard someone talking. “You’re Link, right?” the newcomer asked. Link jumped away from the wall, surprised, and grabbed at his sword. “WHOA!” the boy squawked, raising his hands and backpedaling. Now that Link got a good look at him, he seemed sort of familiar, but the soldier couldn’t place why. “I don’t want to fight you! Or, well, not unless you’re breaking the law. . . Not that I think you’re breaking the law or anything! I’d just have to stop you if you were!” Link quirked his head, looking at the boy strangely. What was he going on about? The boy sighed, took a deep breath, and rose to his full height. “My name’s Tullus. I’m with the city guard,” he swelled up with pride as he said it. “My brother Marcus is a guard in Sector Three. He told me to keep an eye out for you. Or at least a man that looks a lot like you. Wearing all green, big goofy hat, really jumpy,” Tullus laughed nervously. “Maybe I should’ve paid more attention to that last part… But you are Link, right?” Link nodded. That would explain why the boy had seemed familiar. Tullus greatly resembled his brother, albeit younger and softer around the edges. Tullus beamed. “Good to meet you, Link. Marcus will be glad to hear you’re doing alright,” he leaned in and whispered, “he may not act like it, but he cares.” Tullus stepped back, returning to his position at the left entrance. “You can go ahead and go in, though. I’ll make sure nobody touches your stuff!” Link wasn’t sure how to react, so he dipped his head in thanks and then stepped inside. It was good to know Marcus hadn’t forgotten about him. He was glad that he had gone with the princesses, but, the companionship that he’d had with many of the guards was hard to replicate so quickly. Link wandered around the inside of the bath house for a bit aimlessly, not really sure what to do with himself since he didn’t want to take a second bath, but he eventually found himself in the courtyard. It was next to empty, outside of the merchants that ran the shops, who were still busy getting ready for the lunch rush. Link found himself a quiet corner and retrieved his ocarina, testing his injured hand a few times before he started. It was still sore, but not enough to prevent him playing a song, so Link fell into his favorite pastime with joy. BGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeriberii Haan Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 While she wasn't really the attentive type most of the type, Ciela couldn't help to notice the tense atmosphere of that morning. It was as if something happened last night? Granted, Gunther never really seemed to be a fan of Edrick, but...ah, whatever happened, she would find out sooner or later anyway. She wasn't the greatest at this people business after all. She had doubts about Penelope, but at least the little princess would be a lot better at addressing things than Ciela could ever hope to be. Well, at the very least Penelope was a lot better at it than... As her gaze went to the elder princess, she noticed that Link was still seemingly a bit shaken by something. Ah right, she remembered asking him or Cat to wash her moments ago. It's not really a request made with much thinking, and she just ignored that Link was a guy and Cat was a princess as she said that, but on the other hand, she couldn't just wash herself. Ah well, at least with this she could see the extent of what bugging Link would result to. Though he shifted back to his stonefaced normal state not long after and looked at Cat for her decision just seconds after Ciela felt a tinge of victory inside of her. That proud feeling inside popped like a head being hit by those gigantic siege bows as her expression turned into a frown while Cat answered Link's gaze. "Very well," She tuned out for the rest of the trip, mostly just feeling somewhat annoyed that Link had beaten her by doing nothing, and just went silent. She was barely paying attention to anything until they were in the bathhouse proper, where Cat shifted to carry her as Link went somewhere else. There was a female guard there that said that she'd help look over their stuffs, and also seemingly eager to chat, not that Ciela was really in a mood to chat to a stranger now. As Cat dropped her and started undressing, Ciela just wriggled her way out of her chemise on the floor and folded it and placed it on top of the red present box that she carried here. While Cat decided to wear a towel to cover herself, Ciela found it too hard to bother and after a few tries found it too much of a burden for what it's worth. The three of them then traveled through the bathing house complex as the guards acted as their tour guide. It was a lot fancier than Ciela thought at first, and just the sight filled her with a tinge of excitement. She was a bit confused though at the complex bathing ritual the Histians went through, but if it's the premium treatment here, who would complaint? The wall ornaments were quite interesting to see too, and admittedly, Ciela paid more attention to those than Cat's attempts to help her going through the process of the several rooms. Although as they went near the end of the process, it passed her mind again that Cat's behavior this morning really felt odd. Earlier she ended up not paying it too much mind as the inn owner took her attention soon after, but it's really noticeable now. As they went into the bathing pool to relax, Ciela couldn't stop thinking about it, and what the hell happened last night. Giving a friendly gesture to the two patrons there, she practically jumped into the pool like a cannonball...that was what she would do if she could but in the end Cat just dropped her inside of the water, where she struggled a bit to find a comfortable position on the poolside - submerging most of her frame without drowning proved to be quite a hard thing to attempt especially without your legs supporting you like an anchor. "So..." That voice shifted the girl's attention to the princess on her side. "Tell me...about yourself." "What do you want to know?" Ciela's answer was a bit cold, irritated at how stiff Cat was still being despite the fact that they're there to relax. Although, she wasn't really in the mood of escalating this especially at this time, so she simply took a deep breath after she pushed herself to the surface. "I'm the third child of Lord Lucati, born from his affair with his cook's wife. Apparently the lord's wife ended up took a liking on me, so I ended up actually getting adopted into the household despite my actual mother and her husband getting executed for shady reasons. Spent most of my life in my castle, not allowed to go out until I got sick of that and ran away with Remy, when investigators from the capital conveniently arrived there with the order to capture the lord. It's not terribly interesting. More importantly...the hell happened last night? When I told Link about how I woke up undressed on your bed while being sore all over, he gave me a face I didn't even know he could pull off, and continued to look at me in an odd way. And what's with everyone getting tense over and what's with Penelope's sudden talk session anyway?" As she finished speaking, Ciela could feel her head was somewhat lighter and clearer as the last of the hangover's effect dissipated from her, however with that, came also a faint feeling inside of her heart. It was not noticeable enough to surface and be reflected in her action, but...it still felt like the embers remaining from the flames of anger dwelling inside. Ciela barely understood it, but she could feel that as she continued to talk to the princess, the embers just grew and grew. "Also, can you stop being so stiff? We're here to relax, damn it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 So apparently the last members of their group who Penelope needed to see had decided to...take a bath? Together? That was something quite unusual to Gunther. He chalked it up to this just being a weird country and shrugged. Taking one glance at the present boxes, which he assumed must have been bought by one of the group, though he couldn't guess who, he followed Edrick to Penelope's room and waited by the door. He wouldn't interfere. He desperately wanted to peek inside just to be safe but he had to trust Penelope. He would wait here and just listen. If he heard raised voices or the like he'd be in there faster...well, not fast, Gunther couldn't do fast. Which might be a problem now that he thought of it.While he was pondering his lack of mobility, Edrick left the room, leaving Penelope safe and sound, and soon enough Asura came in. Gunther smiled at him and let out a relieved noise. He was sure he could trust Asura not to do anything as long as alcohol wasn't involved. Once they were done, Penelope poked her head out of the room and looked to Gunther. "You know you don't have to wait there, right?"Gunther shook his head. "Don't worry it's not...I'm not trying to be paranoid. But we are in a strange city you know, I'm just...doing my job."Penelope looked at him for a long while and then nodded. "I suppose if that's the case it's fine. But, could you go for just a few minutes? Asura was going to tell them but he might decide to wait until after this bath. I'd prefer them knowing as soon as possible.""Ah....yes, I'll go. Just...don't wander off...again, please?""No promises."Gunther sighed and grudgingly left the building and headed for, after a stop for directions, the bath. It was an incredible building, to say the least, but Gunther would prefer a much more...subdued place to bathe, personally. The workers were helpful and went about explaining things quickly. Gunther was unable to interject with how enthusiastic they were. Who was he to ruin their hard work?However once they started saying he should remove his armor he had to speak up. "A-actually I was just sent here to give some people a message." He described the three that were left to talk to Penelope and gave the workers his message, "Penelope is waiting to speak with each of you, whenever you get time....might be good to do it soon." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaina Posted March 4, 2017 Report Share Posted March 4, 2017 After having informed Asura of what it was he was supposed to do, Alois felt as though he was going to be awfully bored. Sure, he could've followed along as Asura and Edrick had both left for the bathhouse, and everyone else was apparently there as well. And while it might have killed some time, Alois simply did not want to get going there. He only got the feeling that it would be awkward for him to enter there, and even it was probably the optimal place to tease people, he just didn't feel like it. All that left here was the princess and her flower knight though, similarly, he didn't really feel like poking fun at them right now either. Really, having time to settle down from the talk, Alois realized that he felt pretty odd. Thinking on it, though, he couldn't really figure out why. It wasn't as though she said anything startling to him. Nor was it like he had gotten something off of his chest, something he had been ready to scream out. So what was it? His eyes lit up for a second as he came to a bit of a realization before shaking his head to stop that train. "Stupid," he muttered to himself. Standing himself up, if everyone else had gone off to do something in the city, Alois figured he might have as well. And it wasn't like they'd be coming back any time soon. With that, Alois had left the inn, going to wander the streets once again. As Alois had been walking through the city, he couldn't help but marvel at how active and busy it was. Despite the hour, there were people bustling all about, noise coming from every which direction as merchants had attempted to shout over the crowds and advertise themselves to the passerbys. While it wasn't as though both sectors of Ithome were desolate before, Alois had never really seen something so alive before and was thus merely walking in wonder, looking every which way. His attention was only further taken by the large series of buildings that all seemed connected together. Going inside the complex, the boy was taken aback further as the market seemed to expand into its true state within, selling all kinds of wares that the boy had never even heard of. A rather genuine smile across his face, Alois walked about the area, simply browsing what was around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wind Rider Posted March 4, 2017 Report Share Posted March 4, 2017 Sienna was walking along looking at the stalls in the market before a side passage to another complex caught her attention. A passerby told her it was the Dragon's Market, biggest indoor market in Mysia he said. It certainly had a ton of activity in it, seemed a good a place as any to find something for the group. The stalls had quite the variety of items; weapons, potions, jewels, better quality too. A few elixirs caught Sienna's eye, but she turned away at the price of them. She just couldn't decide, what would be a neat gift for everyone? She stumbled around a bit before an unusual man with a large pack of goods on his back approached her. "Hello, you're new to the Dragon's Market, yes?" Sienna nodded to answer the smiling man's question. "You're in luck! I have here, masks. Very special ones, in fact." Special masks? The man held up a few to show her, it was almost... Unsettling, they looked realistic, life-like even. "You probably don't need the Keaton's mask though, do you?" he asked, peering at Sienna closely. "No no, you need something...better. Something like Major--" "Hey! No hawking without a license!" A familiar looking guard scared the mask salesman off, what a shame... Penelope would've probably liked that keaton mask or whatever it was. "Are you all right?" the woman asked. "Don't let these merchants scare you," she said, glancing at the Protean sympathetically. "They're just...zealous. Tell me if you need any assistance," "O-ok..." Sienna seemed to tighten her hood a bit, she watched as the guard lady walked off, she was definitely one of the nicest guards in this city. Though that still didn't help Sienna, sure she could ask the guard for directions but she didn't even have an idea what to get anyone, she was at a loss. Fortunately, another familiar face walked by in the crowd, someone Sienna was more familiar with. "A-Alois! Wait... Wait up!" she called following after him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethera Posted March 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 "What do you want to know?" Ciela asked coldly. "I'm the third child of Lord Lucati, born from his affair with his cook's wife. Apparently the lord's wife ended up took a liking on me, so I ended up actually getting adopted into the household despite my actual mother and her husband getting executed for shady reasons. Spent most of my life in my castle, not allowed to go out until I got sick of that and ran away with Remy, when investigators from the capital conveniently arrived there with the order to capture the lord. It's not terribly interesting. "More importantly...the hell happened last night? When I told Link about how I woke up undressed on your bed while being sore all over, he gave me a face I didn't even know he could pull off, and continued to look at me in an odd way. And what's with everyone getting tense over and what's with Penelope's sudden talk session anyway? "Also, can you stop being so stiff? We're here to relax, damn it!" Catriona hadn't expected Ciela's vehement response. Perhaps it was the atmosphere, the quiet stillness of the bathhouse, the two shrouded in steam. Either way, this was going a bit...differently, than Catriona had hoped. Not to mention she had no idea how to answer her questions. How to phrase it in a way that wouldn't provoke an explosion like the night before. However, she had a question she wanted answered. "Is that what you meant, by being thankful to my father? Because your own locked you up?" She moved on to answer Ciela's own question. "We...argued." There really was no other word for it. "And then you fell asleep. You were probably sore because you decided to crawl upstairs on your own." The way the girl had phrased it, however, Catriona wouldn't be surprised if Link had taken it the wrong way. "People are tense because of the controversy Edrick's placement in our group has caused. As for Penelope..." the princess' eyes turned faraway, "she has always done things her own way. Perhaps she has seen what you have, that tensions are running high, and looks for a way to correct it." At Ciela's last words, she tipped her head. "My apologies. I do not mean to be stiff. Like you, I am enjoying the bathhouse. The steam is quite relaxing. -- Outside, in the courtyard, Link's playing had attracted a small audience. One little boy ran forward and clapped his hands eagerly at the music, his bright blue eyes shining. "Gee mister," he said. "That was really cool. Do you do more cool things?" -- Inside, Tullus nodded dutifully to the knight in front of him. "Yes, sir," he saluted, recognizing Gunther as fairly high-ranked. "Don't worry. I'll let them know as soon as possible." He held up three fingers, ticking them off. "A white-haired woman with an unapproachable aura, a blue-haired girl who can't walk, and a blond wearing green clothes--wait. You know Link?!" he seemed to vibrate in place, looking at Gunther wide-eyed. "Small world, huh? Wow, that's pretty great. Wait, do I know you? My name's Tullus, but you can call me Tully. What's your name?" he fidgeted with his lance, wanting to shake hands but not wanting to seem rude either. -- The indoor marketplace was rather lively. As soon as the vendors laid eyes on Alois, they started clamoring for his attention, especially the weapons' vendors. "My, what a nice axe you have there," one said. "Looks a little dinged up though. Good thing I have just what you need! An axe repair kit. Makes it almost as good as new!" "Say, how much are you willing to part with that nice hand axe for?" another asked. "We could even do a trade. Your hand axe for my iron broadsword." "Pfft don't listen to that guy," his neighbor scoffed. "What say you to this glass axe? It's a beaut, ain't it?" he held up a polished axe that Alois could vaguely see the merchant through. It glittered like crystal. Meanwhile, merchants selling robes and cloaks had started calling for Sienna's attention. -- Back at the inn, Santa cast a mournful gaze at the pile of presents remaining on one of his tables. "I guess nobody liked my gifts." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asriel Dreemurr Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 Edrick sighed as he found that the group had not decided to wait for him and instead had just run off to the bath house. He wasn't feeling so energetic about getting there, what with it hurting just to move right now, so he instead settled into a chair while he got his motivation to move back. He watched as the others, save Penelope at least, left presumably to go and bathe. He would have been lying if he said he didn't want to go, but right now he was happy enough sitting there in the main room of the inn and getting his pack off his back for a bit. Of course he was going to get to bathing eventually, but for right now he was going to just not bother with moving. "The harvest ought to be starting in the next few weeks back home." He wondered aloud, turning his gaze up towards the ceiling. "It's really been almost a year..." he trailed off as his thoughts turned to the little farming village on the banks of the Lanti where he had grown up. He wondered if the hunters were having any better luck in finding game, if Yvanka the Fisherwoman had finally caught that giant eel she'd been chasing since he was small, and if the fields he had left behind had been taken over by someone or not. Edrick would have been lying to himself if he said he didn't miss it, that he didn't want to find Elba and ride her back home as fast as they could manage. Not that he could let himself do that now. "Heh. Even if I find Elba, I'll have to bring her with us on this crazy journey. At least it'll make for a good story." Of course he could die before he found her. That was something he'd accepted when he made the poor decision of trying to cross Locris in the winter. He flexed his toes, just to assure himself that they hadn't frozen off as much as it had felt like they would. Even just thinking about it made him feel cold, and it was about that time that he decided he wanted to go and have a hot bath. "I guess nobody liked my gifts." The sound of a mournful voice distracted him just as he was standing up, and his attention turned over towards the innkeeper and then towards the table where the others had been sitting earlier. It seemed that Catriona had decided to leave the wrapped packages behind. Well, then it fell to him to run damage control and try to prevent the group from losing face with the innkeeper who had apparently been the one to give the princess them. Standing, and doing his best to stretch out in armor, Edrick strode over to the Innkeeper with a morose expression on his face. "Allow me to apologize on Princess Catriona's behalf. She isn't really the best with-" he stopped as he came closer to the old man and got a good look at him. Cocking his head to the side and squinting his eyes at the man, it wasn't hard for him to be reminded of something from when he was small. But that couldn't be, could it? Those were just fairy tales, weren't they? "Moş Crăciun?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeriberii Haan Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 "Is that what you meant, by being thankful to my father? Because your own locked you up?" "Not that, it's not about him locking me inside. It's not about him seeing me as a walking shame to his family. It's just...what he did..." Or didn't do. The anger welling inside of Ciela piled up further and further, threatening to spill out at any moment. Her hatred, her anger, even if he had been long gone...or perhaps it was since he was no longer there? She couldn't get the satisfaction of causing his fall. She couldn't get the satisfaction to see him fall. He went out too easily. Perhaps it's wrong to thank the king for executing him. She wanted to continue ranting, though...at the last moment she relented. She came here to rest, not rant. She was being more tense than Cat now, and she couldn't call her out on that like this. And she needed the rest too. Her passion to pursue the topic dissipated, and Ciela decided to distract herself from attempting to continue it in any way. Putting her hand between her legs, she started to massage herself. Her other hand went massaging her chest as Ciela listened to Cat telling her about last night. Splitting her attention wasn't the greatest idea she had, but she got the gist of what the princess said. It would explain the general tension around Edrick, and it would explain how much Ciela was feeling annoyed at Cat since the morning. Should she ask further? Her thought was interrupted by the feeling of sweet release she had been quite familiar of. Relishing on the feeling for a moment as she sank a bit further into the water, the tension piling on Ciela disappeared, and she finally felt like she was relaxing on the pool. "I dunno, you're acting like we're going to get ambushed while we're here." Ciela's response to Cat's was considerably less hostile than earlier. Ciela self-admittedly wasn't the best judge of character, although she did feel that her annoyance on Cat was really stemming on how she interacted with other people. Ciela was sick of being treated as a non-entity her whole life, and to see her supposed current and future leader treating her almost the same way as her father... She continued her self-massage to distract herself. At least Cat didn't seem to be intentional in it. She's just sheet at dealing with actual people. Ciela snickered a bit at the thought. She wasn't really the best at interactions, either. Struggling to change that fact had been quite hard, really hard, to the point that Ciela at times felt it's better to just stop trying. Perhaps Cat felt like that too. That didn't stop the fact that her general attitude still annoyed Ciela greatly, as much as her own attitude generally annoyed other people. But such was life, perhaps. "Our group is quite a mess, isn't it? Knowing that, I don't really envy your position at all, though...ahh..." She stopped herself to catch her breath. Overdoing this seemed to be a mistake, despite its relaxing nature. She paused for a while to gather her thought in the aftermath before continuing. "Though that doesn't mean I'm going to agree with how you do things here so far." Another pause, this time because she had little idea on how she should continue. She wasn't really aiming to hide what she's been thinking to Cat, although she wasn't really in a position to do a spirited rant either. "The fact that Edrick is still willing to follow us even after knowing what we're going to do is the biggest proof of what kind of person he is. Don't really understand why people would still feel up in arms about it. It's not like being the son of someone means you're the same person as them." Oh, how much she wished for that to be true. "Hard to see someone you've shared drinks with as an enemy...I think that's what one of those old saying goes." Finished with her words, Ciela decided to close her eyes. Perhaps she could use a short nap here. Their convoluted group dynamics wasn't really something she'd solve anyway. Penelope would handle that way better. She would've tried to one up her, but even Ciela knew her limits. So, removing the complicated thoughts from her mind, she let the water took her. Slowly drifting away from the edge of the bathing pool, Ciela was feeling bliss. She tried to move her legs to control her direction- Wait. She couldn't swim, and she couldn't even move her legs. The realization broke her from her relaxation trance, and she lost what little balance she had on the water and started sinking, not helped by the fact that she was panicking the whole time due to the surprise. "C-cat, help! I-I can't-" She really was getting too carried away in her attempt to relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaina Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 As Alois continued to walk around the indoors free market, he continued to marvel at everything that had been being bought and sold by goers and vendors alike. As he continued to move about, eventually some vendors had started to come over to him, seemingly interested in the fact that he used weapons. As the first one asked if he wanted to purchase a repair kit for his axes, to which the guy waved him off saying, "what? I don't need a-," he was briefly interrupted by another man trying to offer him a sword, only for the boy to respond with a slightly befuddled expression saying, "do these look like swords to you," motioning to his axes while doing so. The final man only made Alois more confused as he blurted out, "who makes weapons out of glass?" While he was being somewhat overwhelmed by salesmen, he then heard a familiar sounding voice call out his name. Confused, he looked to see where it came from, his eyes drifting around until they stopped on the familiar form of his protean not murderer companion. The boy gave a little wave as he said, "hey there Fox Fa-," he stopped himself short as he had remembered the talk that he had earlier in the day, though seemed to be struggling to do so. While he knew the girl's name it was a bit of struggle, somewhat clear on his face, as he just said, "hi." After recovering from his effort the boy then said, "man, it is crazy here. Never seen a place like it really. Did you know they made weapons out of glass? City people really are weird." After just kind of rambling a bit he then realized something, backpedaling a bit and saying, "wait wait wait. What are you doing here?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 "Yes, sir,"This gave Gunther paused. Why was this young guard saluting him? He wasn't even Histian. Why do people keep assuming he's more important than he is?"Don't worry. I'll let them know as soon as possible." He held up three fingers, ticking them off. "A white-haired woman with an unapproachable aura, a blue-haired girl who can't walk, and a blond wearing green clothes--wait. You know Link?!" he seemed to vibrate in place, looking at Gunther wide-eyed. "Small world, huh? Wow, that's pretty great. Wait, do I know you? My name's Tullus, but you can call me Tully. What's your name?" Gunther had to take a moment, holding his hand up to the young man. This Tullus was quite the chatterbox. He knew Link which wasn't a surprise as he was clearly a guard. So Gunther probably could have gotten away with just using the man's name instead and saved himself some trouble. "I don't believe you know me, no." Gunther said at last. "My name is Gunther, and I've never met you before. Though, you do seem...somewhat familiar." Why was that? He certainly couldn't have met this guard before he had only seen a few in his time here. In any case he had given his message. "I need to get back to the pri-er, I need to...My uh sister is waiting and I need to go back." He stammered awkwardly but thought he saved quite well there. Even if they weren't hiding very well, mostly due to Catriona's habit of announcing herself everywhere, it would be best to avoid notice as much as possible.As for sister...well, it was close enough to the truth that Gunther didn't feel bad for lying. Though he wondered why he didn't simply say "friend". In either case he smiled and waved to the young man, glad to see someone so upbeat about their job, and headed back to the inn. Once there he saw Edrick talking with the innkeeper over the boxes from before. Gunther thought he heard something along the lines of presents and grew curious.When the older man saw Gunther he waved him over and that's how he learned that the entire group, for some reason, had been given gifts. He found it rather odd and suspicious but, as evidently Catriona had okayed it, he decided to thank the man and bring his and Penelope's up to the younger princess's room. He felt that he should say something to Edrick, try and be nice, for Penelope's sake, but it just didn't feel right. So he just brought the presents without causing a fuss. Though he did, when out of view, give Penelope's a few gentle shakes to double-check it wasn't going to explode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethera Posted March 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 "Not that, it's not about him locking me inside. It's not about him seeing me as a walking shame to his family. It's just...what he did..." Ciela answered. She seemed to get more and more agitated as she spoke, though she seemed to breathe in, letting an arm drop down. Through the steam, it looked like the other arm was...massaging her chest? Catriona blinked as the girl sank further into the water, looking more relaxed than before. What an odd person... "I dunno, you're acting like we're going to get ambushed while we're here." Was she? Perhaps she was. Constant vigilance was something her father had drilled into her, after all. It seemed that bathing had cleared much of the alcohol remaining in her system, as, while she was still relaxed, she was also waking up from her previous languor. "Our group is quite a mess, isn't it? Knowing that, I don't really envy your position at all, though...ahh..." She stopped herself to catch her breath. "Though that doesn't mean I'm going to agree with how you do things here so far." Another pause, "The fact that Edrick is still willing to follow us even after knowing what we're going to do is the biggest proof of what kind of person he is. Don't really understand why people would still feel up in arms about it. It's not like being the son of someone means you're the same person as them. Hard to see someone you've shared drinks with as an enemy...I think that's what one of those old saying goes." "That is true," Catriona agreed. "However, the gravity of our quest necessitates caution on my part. I cannot be careless." After all, the last time she had let down her guard, she had gotten kidnapped. The incident had shown her that even supposed allies can turn into enemies. Edrick had the motivation to stop their quest, had even admitted that their goal was anathema to him. Yet she preferred his honest disagreement to a noble's hidden one. At least she knew she could trust him to be forthright with her, a rare quality indeed. "Still, Edrick has shown himself trustworthy so far." Something she had never thought she would say about a Pontic. Ciela started to drift off into the water, causing the lord to stiffen. With her legs being as they were, that was not a good-- "C-cat, help! I-I can't-" The troubadour's cries woke the white-haired woman from her haze entirely. Rising from her seated position, the princess staggered forward, towel slipping off in her haste. Reaching forward, she lifted Ciela from the water, carrying her awkwardly by her armpits out of the pool, placing her upright on the tiled floor a couple feet from the edge. Unless she rolled, she wouldn't splash back into the water. "Are you well?" she asked in concern, rubbing her back to hopefully cause the girl to cough up any water in her lungs. -- "I don't believe you know me, no." the knight said. "My name is Gunther, and I've never met you before. Though, you do seem...somewhat familiar." "Hmm, I'm not sure how I would since we've never met--hold on!" Tullus dropped a fist onto a palm, eyes widening. "Maybe you've met my big brother, Marcus! I'm told we look pretty alike. We do, don't we?" he stood on his tiptoes, puffing out his chest. "I need to get back to the pri-er, I need to...My uh sister is waiting and I need to go back." "Aww, okay," the soldier grinned sheepishly. "Sorry to keep you. It was nice to meet you!" he waved, grinning even wider when the nice knight waved back. Afterward, he turned around. "All right, so he wanted me to let uhhh some weird girl, Link, and a blue-haired girl know that a Penelope wants to speak to them. Got it!" he nodded, before pausing, face turning red. "Uhh, I better let Oppia tell the girls. Don't wanna walk in on them like that. That'd be...awkward," he rubbed his hands together nervously before leaving. Oppia, the chatterbox guard on the women's side, was more than happy to send the girls a message. She walked in, however, right as Catriona was rubbing Ciela's back. Their position, and the blue-haired girl's red face from lack of oxygen, caused her to jump to a strange conclusion. "Oh!" she giggled. "My, my, I didn't mean to disturb you two. Just wanted to let you know that a Penelope wants to speak with you both when you get the time, soon, unless you want a little more...alone time," she giggled again before fleeing the room. Meanwhile, Link would find his peace disturbed even more by Tullus' reappearance. "Link, Gunther came and told me that a Penelope wants to speak with you when you have the time." He seemed surprised by the presence of the blond boy next to him. "Oh, hello Arminius. Surprised to see you here." "Hello, Tully," the boy replied. "Well, I can't enter the library right now, but I remembered that the bathhouse has reading rooms, so I came here. But, but, did you hear that? This mister can play on the ocarina really, really well!" as he spoke, he seemed to draw himself up and stare seriously ahead. The words he spoke were precise, unlike his earlier boyish chatter. Yet his eyes still seemed to shine with excitement. "Really?" Tullus looked at Link, squinting his eyes for a second. "Oh yeah! I think Marcus said something about that. Wow, that's amazing. Uhh," he looked down for a second, before looking back up. "If it's not a problem, do you think you could play us a tune? I just wanna hear what it sounds like is all," he grinned, bouncing up and down. Though years older than Arminius, he seemed younger in that moment next to the child's poised bearing. -- The merchants seemed disappointed by Alois' rebuttals, but didn't let that keep them down, as they watched him like a hawk. Nearby, other merchants, noticing the boy's proximity to the hooded girl, started advertising flowers, bracelets, and fancy trinkets that would be perfect for young couples. The merchant with the glass axe seemed particularly loud, as he then started showing glass swords, glass flowers, and glass figurines. "A perfect gift for a lovely date," he said, glancing between the two of them. -- Back at the inn, Santa perked up when one of the guests, a rather tall youth, approached. "Allow me to apologize on Princess Catriona's behalf. She isn't really the best with-" he stopped as he came closer, cocking his head to the side and squinting his eyes. "Moş Crăciun?" "Hohoho!" Santa laughed. "You recognize me then, tânăr?" He walked to the pile of presents, picking one out and handing it to the boy, Edrick. "Here, this is for you," he said. "Have a very merry journey." It was at that moment that Gunther walked in. While he seemed suspicious at first, he relaxed after hearing that Catriona had approved this, and brought a couple of the boxes upstairs. The pile was much smaller now, and couldn't even be called a pile anymore. Santa's smile widened at the sight. "Hoho! Seems there are only a few left who haven't received their gifts." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wind Rider Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Alois seemed a bit surprised to see Sienna, only uttering a simple "Hi." She gave a little smile from under her hood and proceeded to walk beside Alois, good to see a familiar face in this market. "man, it is crazy here. Never seen a place like it really. Did you know they made weapons out of glass? City people really are weird." Sienna nodded her head in agreement, she wasn't at all used to such a crowded place, though the many items the traders were selling did catch her eye. "wait wait wait. What are you doing here?" Sienna looked back at Alois. "Oh, I'm trying to find something for everyone..." she said with a little smile. Merchants started to bombard Alois and Sienna with a plethora of items, weapons for Alois and robes and the like for Sienna. She waved off the merchants, telling them that she was buying for her group, but then the merchants started pointing out bracelets, flowers and the like. One merchant was selling said items, but they seemed to be made of glass. "A perfect gift for a lovely date," Wait... Date!? "W-wait... What!? We're not... Dating... We're not together, I would never... I mean Alois is nice but... Oh... Um... He's not my type... Yeah... Hehehe...." Sienna couldn't hide her embarrassment, hard not to when she just got mistaken for Alois's partner. She simply kept her mouth shut for the rest of the time she was in the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeriberii Haan Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Ciela was barely able to pay any attention to what was happening as the chaos of her situation consumed her. At a moment she was gasping for air and panicking, and the next thing she noticed was when she was lying face-down on the poolside. She could feel someone was on top of her, rubbing her back. Still too dizzy to ask anything, she simply followed the flow, coughing the water she inhaled with the person's help. As she gained more of her sense, she could feel that the person on top of her wasn't really wearing anything though, and she then properly realized that it was Cat that was there. Feeling the princess' behind on her back as she rubbed Ciela was an odd sensation. It did feel nice, especially with how it helped her breathe more properly again, but something about it made her feel weird. Nevertheless, she almost died there, so it would be natural if she thanked the princess for saving her. "U..uh...thanks for-" "Oh!" Before she could finish her words, the loud exclaim of a young woman cut her off. Someone was apparently watching them right now and was quite surprised with what she saw, from what Ciela could guess from her voice. "My, my, I didn't mean to disturb you two. Just wanted to let you know that a Penelope wants to speak with you both when you get the time, soon, unless you want a little more...alone time," And so, she left after saying that. "...Right, there's that too. Perhaps it's best to return now...but...uh, can you massage me more before we leave? It really feels nice..." Hearing that, Cat didn't answer anything, but in a gesture that reflected her answer, she continued to massage her. Perhaps she thought Ciela was still in dire need of it? Ah, whatever it was, it really felt good. Either the princess was secretly having quite a talent at being a masseur, or it's something Ciela could pick up on a whim. It'd be an useful talent to have. Though, for now, she didn't continue thinking about it further, and relished herself in the final massage courtesy of Catriona. After a bit of a time passed, the two went out of the bathing pool, with Ciela having quite a pleased expression on her face. An after bath massage, even one received after almost drowning, was always a great treat. She had asked Cat to massage more than just her back which she did, though in the end she didn't get the usual full course she usually got back then with her servants due to time constraints. But that wasn't really an issue. Once they reached the changing room again, Ciela attempted to wear the new clothing she got from the innkeeper on her own, but the difficulty in doing so ended up causing her to reluctantly ask for Cat's help again, mainly out of worry of ruining the brand new dress. It's a gift after all, and with the innkeeper being so nice, ruining the gift would be a shame. And it's a beautiful dress to boot - something really befitting her to the point it's a bit scary to think how someone could give something that fit her style to this extent. Getting the frilly white dress on her was quite an effort, but with Cat's help, she managed to do it without dirtying it too much. There was a hat too inside of the box that matched the dress, but for now she decided to keep it there. It's best to wear it once they're hitting the road, rather than doing it now. She waited for Cat to wear her own infinitely more practical clothes and armor, and once she was done, the two finally left the bathing house, heading straight for the inn. They had no idea whether Link had returned or not, but Ciela's urging made them go before checking him or the others first. The trip at first was awfully quiet, but it didn't take long until Ciela finally opened her mouth to try starting up a conversation. "Last night...well, I am still quite curious. What did we argue about then, anyway?" The silence between the two had made the girl remembered about her desire to inquire about that matter further. Earlier it was thwarted by some unwelcome thoughts and tenseness, but right now, when both were less stiff after bathing, it seemed like a good time to revisit it. Catriona blinked at the girl. "We..." She paused for a noticeable amount of time. "You did not care for my attitude," she finished, finally. Although, that really wasn't an answer that Ciela was expecting. No, that answer made no sense. With a hint of her resurging annoyance, she started to speak again. "Ehhhh? I mean, in general your distant attitude does genuinely pisses me off, to tell the truth. But that's like, the opposite of not caring. Why would I argue with you if I couldn't be arsed to care about your attitude?" "I mean...my general attitude did not agree with you," Catriona's reply helped with the situation a little bit, although she seemed to almost be carried by the slightly irritated tone Ciela had. Ciela took a moment to gather herself in response. A sensible answer helped her to ease up a bit. "That does sound more reasonable, I guess. So basically, I got drunk, went to our room, and got irritated on your behavior to the point of an argument breaking out. Yeah, makes sense." Catriona didn't answer, but Ciela liked her summary enough and stuck with it as the whole image on how her drunken confrontation with Cat went. Perhaps her soreness was caused by her attempt to get physical against Cat? Could be, that would make sense. No way she'd be strong enough to in any way be able to pose any threat in a physical confrontation anyway. Satisfied with the answer she thought up on her own, Ciela's mood shifted for the better. "Really, even now I want to complain about you attitude more, but i mean it's not like I'm any better at dealing with people than you." That statement made Cat stare at her. Well...it's not the usual stare at least, and she didn't seem to take offense on that. Perhaps she did have acknowledged this fact herself, but that's not on Ciela to know. She would just assume that the princess was aware of her own shortcomings like Ciela knew about her own. "You are far better at talking." That seemed to be Cat's way of appreciating things. Ciela beamed up somewhat as she heard it, smiling at the acknowledgement. She knew she wasn't the best at conversations with how often she inadvertently annoyed the other side, but at the very least she took pride on not being as bad as it as Link or Cat. It lifted her mood further, and she smiled sheepishly at the princess. "In that case, maybe I should be your mouth or something. I talk without thinking much but at least I'm not..." Though actually...to think about it, she really wasn't that much better than Cat regarding this. Her issue was just the complete opposite of the princess's. After a contemplative pause, Ciela finally continued her sentence. "Though at least, despite of that you make far better decisions than me, perhaps." That prompt made Catriona smile. It was strange, it came out of nowhere. Ciela shook a bit as she noticed the smile coming from the usually stonefaced princess, but slowly felt that the warm smile was actually pretty nice. Perhaps Cat could be a decent conversation partner after all. "That is yet to be seen," the princess said. "Your decisions so far as I have seen have been emotional but understandable." "Not only that, but hasty, ill-informed, and at times just generally pretty stupid." Those were flaws Ciela had acknowledged regarding how she approached things and flaws she were trying to change despite not knowing how to, but as she said that she couldn't help but to feel prideful about those things. It was odd. "Kind of silly, but for me, it's pretty hard to feel any regrets about those decisions I made, even if it ends up badly, like with how I lost the function of my legs now. Really, for me whatever happens, I'll just move on. I will just chalk the aftermath of those ill decisions to my luck, whether it's good or bad. But well, at least my decisions usually only affect myself. You're making decisions that'll affect all of us in this group, hell, maybe the whole of Mysia. No way in hell my approach will work for you. You really are quite something else entirely, being able to carry this kind of responsibility." When was the last time Ciela complimented anyone not out of convenience? Though, she kind of doubt that was a proper compliment, although the intent was perhaps that. Leader or not, Ciela wouldn't just accept Cat's general attitude yet, but she really could appreciate her despite of that. Kind of hard, but seeing the princess looking like she was more and more at ease was nice. Ciela felt like she's closer and closer to talk with an actual living, breathing, actual people now. "Thank you," Cat finally replied, trailing off. She seemed to be not as sure on what to say now, but she didn't seem to be as awkward as before. "And...you might be stronger than you believe," she said. So we really did get physical last night. You really gave me quite a beating, didn't you? Despite Cat's words seemingly confirming Ciela's thoughts on the events of last night, she wasn't really irritated at the possibility of the princess physically beating her up when she was angry and drunken, but more amused by that fact and feeling proud about how her guess was once again proven to be right. "Strong? Hardheaded perhaps, no one can beat me on that. I'm frail, somewhat sickly, and most of the time can only hurt myself, but that doesn't matter when nothing's stopping you from moving forward. That gets me to troubles, but that's life in general I guess? I don't even know where I'm going, but if I stop, I won't go anywhere." "Regardless of the destination, at least you are forging your own path," Catriona's reply this time sounded more serious. "Even if I'm heading to a cliff's edge? Though I guess, that still counts as a direction." "Sometimes," Catriona looked down, a sudden shift of her earlier cheeryness, "You can only do your best, even if it leads to despair." Her earlier happiness dissipated at that. It started to get a bit awkward, although Ciela was unsure about why. This time, she's sure that she's not screwing up anything with her words. So...well, perhaps it's something that she should dig about later, but not now. It would be best for Ciela to end this conversation now. "Yeah, even if I'm just heading to my doom, like by following you guys now in this crazy quest, I guess it's best to continue walking on this path and enjoy things while we're here." Time passed, and the two finally arrived on the inn. Ciela opted to rest for a bit before going to Penelope's consultation. Whether she or Cat would go first was still up in the air, though it shouldn't really matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaina Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 As the girl had returned his greeting, she went on to answer that she was here simply to get things for the others back at the hotel. It took Alois a bit by surprise that she would be willing to do this, especially since she didn't even really know them that well, but he didn't question the strange girl's motivations regardless. As they continued to move about the market place, they were beset once again by merchants a plenty. This time, however, they were less interested in giving him weapons and more so in flowers and jewelry. Alois was a bit confused, wondering if he suddenly started giving off a different kind of vibe that appealed to these merchants, or if it was the hooded fox figure. The glass merchant in particular, had stared at the duo and seemed to be pushing more objects made of glass towards them. While Alois was a bit confused by the man's words at first, it was soon all made clear by Sienna's denial. "What?" Alois's voice was slightly surprised and confused at this, though a tiny bit flush, he started hurriedly trying to shoo the vendor away with his hand. As Sienna was starting to crumble under the weight of the situation Alois just added, "yeah, it'd be impossible. So go take your glass elsewhere." With that, Alois made to move away from the salesman. As the duo had made it through the crowd, Alois said, "well, uh." He didn't really know what to do here and just felt kind of awkward, taking only short glances towards the girl before saying, "yeah, let's just go back." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asriel Dreemurr Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 "Hohoho! You recognize me then, tânăr?" Well alright. This was actually, literally Santa Claus. The fact that this was not the strangest thing to happen since Edrick had joined the group soon enough had the young man laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation he found himself in. Here he was, in a group of people that had absolutely no reason to associate with him, and he was planning on converting them to the true faith before they could stop Inera's return. This truly was an absurd situation he'd gotten himself into, and he wouldn't leave it for anything in the world. "Here, this is for you." Not even whatever that gift Santa gave him was, which he decided to slip into his pack and open later once the group was gathered again. That really was the only appropriate time to open gifts anyways. "Have a very merry journey." "Thank you, Moş Crăciun, and I hope that blessings find you wherever you go." He reached out to shake the man's hand, and sighed as he looked at the pile of gifts that had been left. "I'll make sure the others get theirs before we leave...though I think most of them have to come back for their things anyways." With that, he lifted his pack again and made his way out of the building. He still needed the chance to soak the soreness out of his muscles before they got on their way. No sense in bothering with Gunther right now. He didn't have it in him to fight if he needed to, and he was fairly certain he would need to. The actual use of the bath house wasn't anything complicated. There was a place to leave his gear, where he left his pack, organized his armor into a pile ordered according to what needed to be put on first, left his lance leaning against a wall next to all of it, and finally left his clothing in a neatly folded pile on top of everything. From there it was just going through a door and jumping into what was immediately evident as a cold pool of water. Not the coldest he had been in, but not exactly relaxing either. Whatever, he was able to get himself washed off in there. He might well have gone back to the inn and commented on it when the others returned, if he didn't notice a door apart from the one he'd entered through. This led him into a warmer room with a warmer pool of water, and after a few minutes in there to get over the cold he found yet another door leading through into a room that felt like a sauna and was somehow filled with visibly steaming water. Now that was exactly what he needed, and after just a minute or so spent in the hot water he felt the soreness retreating. A few more and he felt ready to get on the road, which saw him getting out of the water, drying himself, and going back to put his clothes back on. He didn't put his armor back on yet though, instead leaving it along with his lance and pack while he made his way about in search of the others. Eventually this led to him entering the courtyard, and finding Link in the company of two others. Since he didn't know where anyone else was, apart from being fairly sure that Ciela and Catriona were in the women's bath, he made his way over to them. "Well, I'm glad that at least I'm not the only one who made it over!" He was visibly more energetic, but then ridding oneself of soreness has a way of doing that. He was about to say more, when he noticed that one of the two with him was a familiar guard. "Huh...Tullus, right? Good to meet you under less hostile circumstances." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King K. Azo Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 Asura sighed as he walked down the stairs, his movements slow and deliberate. He didn't want to fall or hurt himself in his hungover state. The talk with Penelope lifted his spirits a little, but the hangover kept him from reaching maximum happiness. Holding his head as he walked, he decided it was best to go to the bathhouse before anything else. Getting drunk and then sleeping in his clothes didn't make him clean, in fact, it did quite the opposite. With that in mind, he headed out of the inn.It wasn't that hard to find thankfully, and mostly uneventful, although it took the guards around ten minutes for them to convince Asura to part with his Killing Edge. He really hated to part with it, especially since he couldn't find his bronze sword he was using as his main weapon, but finally, he relented. He was hesitant to take off his shirt, but it would be ridiculous to try to bathe with his clothes on, so he slipped out of it, not bothering to cover the scar on his chest. It was far too large for him to even attempt to cover with his hands anyways.The cold bath was first, and by the gods, if he wasn't awake at that time, he was now. Still, it was nice to clean himself off of the filth he had accumulated over the past few days. The drastic drop of heat didn't agree with his scar however, but he dealt with it. Next was the warm and hot room, and they were really nice. The sweat felt good, and he soon felt clean again. Heading to the cold room once again, he was promptly massaged and oiled, which honestly, did wonders for his stress. He could feel his muscles relaxing, which felt amazing after these past few days. After the godly massage, he figured it was time to do something productive. He neglected training his body over the past few days due to the issues that were going on, and now would be a good time to get back on it. And the guards did mention an open air garden.He slipped over to the garden, taking a deep breath of the air, which calmed him. It was peaceful here. With a smile, he went to an isolated corner of the garden. Breathing deeply, he began to spread his legs into a wide stance, moving his arms into defensive positions as he did. He wasn't planning on fighting anyone, no, he was instead going through the routines of a style of unarmed combat his uncle had taught him. While this style was useful for something like a fistfight or a barfight, he would never use it in an actual battle. That would be far to risky.Closing his eyes, he began to visualize a calm forest, with a pond in the center, and birds chirping in the trees. He began to fluently move his arms, pretending there was an energy inside of him, and directing it through his body. He helped him clear him mind and bring him back to peace. He would not provoke this group anymore. He would find his peace, no matter how fleeting it would be, and focus on it. He continued to go through different motions, throwing slow and deliberate punches and kicks at the air. They were not aimed at anyone, rather they helped him exercise his body. As he went through these exercises, he felt his body warming up, like he was loosening up and going back into fighting shape again.And for the first time since he joined this group, his mind was at peace. He really wished he could stay like this... But he knew they would have to move on soon. But for now, he would enjoy this peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakima Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Link froze up when he realized there was a child standing in front of him. How had that happened? "Gee mister," he said. "That was really cool. Do you do more cool things?" Link hesitated, trying to decide the best course of action. Where were this child’s parents? Had he wandered off from them? Link glanced around the courtyard, but he didn’t see any frantic adults. That didn’t guarantee the child wasn’t lost, but it lessened the odds considerably. The soldier decided that, for now, the best thing to do would be to keep an eye on the boy and make sure nothing bad happened to him. Children were often too innocent for their own good, and he wasn’t going to let anyone take advantage of that. Link had just settled on that when Tullus suddenly reappeared. "Link, Gunther came and told me that a Penelope wants to speak with you when you have the time." He seemed surprised by the presence of the blond boy next to him. "Oh, hello Arminius. Surprised to see you here." Link stared at them both, tilting his head slightly. Tullus knew the child, Arminius? That probably meant that he was a regular in the area, or that he got lost often. "Hello, Tully," the boy replied. "Well, I can't enter the library right now, but I remembered that the bathhouse has reading rooms, so I came here. But, but, did you hear that? This mister can play on the ocarina really, really well!" as he spoke, he seemed to draw himself up and stare seriously ahead. The words he spoke were precise, unlike his earlier boyish chatter. Yet his eyes still seemed to shine with excitement. "Really?" Tullus looked at Link, squinting his eyes for a second. "Oh yeah! I think Marcus said something about that. Wow, that's amazing. Uhh," he looked down for a second, before looking back up. "If it's not a problem, do you think you could play us a tune? I just wanna hear what it sounds like is all," he grinned, bouncing up and down. Though years older than Arminius, he seemed younger in that moment next to the child's poised bearing. Link was torn on what to do. The younger Princess wished for him to return to the inn, and he had asked for Gunther to come and fetch them when it was there time time to speak with her; but could he really deny the children a request as simple as that one? Link held his ocarina pensively, chewing on his bottom lip, and then made his decision. He raised his ocarina again and began to play. It was a relatively fast song, one that hadn’t originally been intended to be played on an ocarina. Link had learned it by listening to someone play it on a stringed instrument years before, and had done his best to convert it to the ocarina. If he was being honest, it was probably one of his favorite tunes to play for people. It was fun and playful, something you could dance to, which was rare among ocarina songs. His song wound to a close just as Edrick found his way over to them. The Pontic started conversing with Tullus about… something, and Link took the opportunity to stow away his ocarina in his bag and get to his feet. The break had been a much needed one, but he couldn’t keep Princess Penelope waiting for forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Gunther helped Ciela into Penelope's room, after giving an off-hand comment about how nice her dress looked, and sat her onto Penelope's bed, facing the young tactician who was still seated on the chair by the desk. He then exited with a short bow to the both of them. Ciela was the first to speak. "So, uh...what's up with this anyway? I know our group is a mess but this made it feel like something especially dire happened or something."Penelope looked towards the girl. "Dire might be a strong word but wouldn't you say tension is rather bad for a group with such important goals?" Penelope smiled. "Really I just want to make sure no one is left unheard.""Apparently I went to a fight with your sister last night so yeah, I think I know what you're saying.""That seems...problematic. Did you do something to upset her...wait no, she probably said something stupid to you, right?""Yea, she was just so irritating in how distant she was with everything. At least we worked things up somewhat earlier.""Oh you figured it out? Without me." Penelope looked a little dejected but brushed it off. "Well you should be proud to be one of the few to be able to talk to her.""Doing that while relaxing on the bathhouse definitely helped, but she's probably the worst company you can have when you want to relax..at least it's just her being terrible with interaction, would've disliked her more otherwise."Penelope looked more at her, seeming to be curious, before speaking up. "That can't be the only problem, right?""I can't say I like Link either for the same reasons, but we barely interacted and he's really quiet. What's up with him anyway? It felt weird at times.""I...must confess I don't know him very well. Actually I hope to find out more whenever he comes around here. Is the only problem you have with the...less talkative members? I plan on attempting to get them both to open up more either way.""I...would also rather to not get close to Asura for now, and Sienna still makes me feel uneasy. But those aren't their fault.""Hmm." Penelope pondered this. "Perhaps this is one of those time heals all wounds thing?" "Could be, but rather not now....hey...did anyone say anything about me? What...do you think of me?""What I think? Well, that's not the point of this really, you know, erm." She pauses, composes herself. "I think you have a lot of things on your mind." "...That is the point of this. Just tell me."She thought for a bit of how to say it and sighed. "You seem to not understand many basic things. It's almost as if you don't understand how to live.""...Well, I won't deny that."Awkward silence fell upon them for a short while. "Do you....need help with that?""..perhaps."Penelope suddenly brightened and pulled out pen and paper seemingly out of nowhere. "Well learning is my specialty, what do you want to know?""...everything, really. i really feel i have no ideas at all on what I'm doing now"Penelope glanced at the sun outside. "We're gonna be here for a while. Maybe we should start...small." "Oh by the way, that reminds me, I bought those stuffs you mentioned back then. Do you know how to use it?""Oh that...it was a joke you didn't actually...oh dear. Do you really not know...what that's for?""I know what it's for, I just don't know how to use it."Penelope narrowed her eyes a little. "Just wondering, what is it you know it's used for?""Pfft, of course. It's like alcohol that it's meant to warm people up when it's cold, but it won't give you bad hangover on the morning. Come on, just tell me how to use it. Should it be mixed with drinks, or perhaps it works best with a hot stew?"Penelope literally facepalmed at that moment and spoke while in that position. "First, alcohol doesn't truly warm you up it just tricks the body by making just the surface warmer. Second..." Penelope looked at Ciela and suddenly took on a bit of an exaggerated older woman voice. "Young lady I think it's time I explain to you about the birds and the bees.""Bird and the bees...? You're just talking nonsense now."fade to black"And so that's where babies come from." Penelope finished from her vantage point of standing and lecturing the other girl.Ciela's face was looking blank after Penelope finished her explanation. After a long and awkward silence, she finally spoke up again. "How...did you know this much?"She tapped her head and said in a dramatic voice "The power of books.""Ah...well, I never found out about this stuff in the books I read. I probably should've branched out more back then in my studies outside of magic and history.""Yes. You should. Everything you could ever need to know is inside the pages of books if you're brave enough to look for it!""Though it's probably just my library not having enough books of that kind. Say...you said that it's how babies are made...but did people do it for other reasons?"That...is a lesson for another day. Don't worry about it for now, okay?""It's...i don't know, it really sounds pretty scary."Penelope's face took on a gentle expression as she spoke. "It'll be fine just remember these important words, no means no, and come to me, Catriona, or Gunther if anyone bothers you about it.""...I don't know why would anyone want a baby from me, but I'll keep that in mind.""Good good. Now, I think it's time for the next person, I suppose I should get Gunther to bring you elsewhere?""Yea, sure." Penelope left the room for a moment and came back with Gunther in tow. "You girls sure talked a lot." He said, laughing a bit. "Well, where is it you'd like to go?" Gunther asked Ciela, picking her up carefully. "Oh on your way out, send that sister of mine in, won't you? We have...plenty to discuss." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaina Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 At Alois's suggestion, the duo had decided to leave the market area. While Alois himself wasn't particularly interested in purchasing anything here, were Sienna to want to stop and purchase something he would in no way stop her and simply wait for her purchase to be done before continuing on. The walk back was somewhat uneventful and the atmosphere was pretty awkward between the two, but they had managed to find their way back to the inn without any incident. Once they had gotten back to the inn, the only familiar face in Alois's immediate view was the older of the two white haired princesses. Feeling that it was probably the best thing to break the atmosphere that had been upheld he simply waved to the girl and said, "hey there Cat." As he had made his greeting, he noticed that basically everyone else had been missing at the moment. And so with a slightly confused expression he asked her, "so, true to your name, are you out of the water first or did everyone else just go beeline it for somewhere else?" He then looked curiously at the packages on the table and said, "what are those?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethera Posted March 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 "W-wait... What!? We're not... Dating... We're not together, I would never... I mean Alois is nice but... Oh... Um... He's not my type... Yeah... Hehehe...." The merchants seemed pretty disappointed at the girl's words. "Oh, so you're just friends then?" the glass vendor spoke, winking conspiratorially at the two of them. It was obvious he didn't believe her. "What? Yeah, it'd be impossible. So go take your glass elsewhere," the boy brushed them off before leaving the area with her. "Peh, cheapskates," the merchant grumbled at their retreating backs. -- Santa felt much more cheered after speaking with Edrick. "What a nice young man," he mused. "Takes after his father, he does." -- Asura and Edrick would find themselves feeling much refreshed, hangovers gone, after the baths. Asura's training would draw a couple people, including a wide-eyed young boy who watched everything in fascination. However, he didn't move forward to speak, seeming to realize that this was a private moment for the swordsman. Link's performance drew enthusiastic clapping from his audience. As it ended, Edrick approached, seeming happy to see another familiar face. "Well, I'm glad that at least I'm not the only one who made it over!" He was visibly more energetic, but then ridding oneself of soreness has a way of doing that. He was about to say more, when he noticed that one of the two with him was a familiar guard. "Huh...Tullus, right? Good to meet you under less hostile circumstances." "Good to meet you too!" Tullus greeted the boy enthusiastically. "Sorry about all that before," he chuckled ruefully. "Just had to clear up a few things," he grinned. He started when he saw Link rise to leave. "Oh are you guys leaving soon? Man, that sounds cool. Daring adventures, cool sights to see..." he sighed enviously before waving at the two of them. "If you ever come back this way, feel free to stop by again!" The guard noticed Asura soon afterward. "Oh hello again! Will you be going with them?" he asked. Something about this man's mood...maybe it was just him, but he had a feeling that...he might not. -- The walk back made Catriona feel...warm. It was nice talking to Ciela, nice hearing somebody speak to her without venom in their voice, or the distant tones of a soldier. After entering the inn, Catriona brought the blue-haired girl upstairs to their room. "We'll be leaving soon, so get some rest if you need it," the princess warned, before heading back downstairs. There, she saw Alois and Sienna, though both of them weren't really looking at the other for some reason. "Hey there Cat." Alois waved. Looking around, he continued with a slightly confused expression, "so, true to your name, are you out of the water first or did everyone else just go beeline it for somewhere else?" He then looked curiously at the packages on the table and said, "what are those?" "Ah," the lord muttered. "I forgot. Here," she passed Alois his present. "For you. The innkeeper gave them to us. And," she glanced outside briefly. "I do not know where the others are." Perhaps she should have paid more attention to the whereabouts of her companions. "They should either be at the bathhouse or in their rooms," she suggested. "Unless they decided to browse the market." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wind Rider Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 "yeah, let's just go back." Sienna nodded in agreement and followed close behind Alois, that was possibly the most embarrassing moment in her life and probably Alois's too. It was unfortunate that she was unable to find a gift for everyone in the group, she was sad about it in fact, hopefully the next area they visit will have something she could get for everyone. Soon the two made it back to the inn only to find Catriona by herself. With Alois chatting with Catriona, Sienna took the time to take off her hood and let her ears actually get some light. She walked around the inn a bit before she stopped at a table that had a few decorated boxes on it, and to her surprise one of the boxes had her name on it. "Strange... Is this for me?" She picked up the apparent present and examined it curiously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeriberii Haan Posted March 21, 2017 Report Share Posted March 21, 2017 "Hey, don't forget that it's your turn to talk to Penelope now. It'd be silly to keep her waiting, you know?" That reminder given to Cat was the only thing Ciela said after her session with Penelope. From when Gunther led her out of the younger princess' room and then when Cat carried her to the two's room, she was deep in her thought. What Penelope had...enthusiasticly taught her earlier was quite a topic to mull about, and in a way, it felt overwhelming too, although in a different way from the reveal of the group's objectives yesterday. What was with all these revelations, anyway? It was almost a bit too much for Ciela to take, with how fast things were going. It felt odd, it was as if months had passed since yesterday. To think that at this same hour the day before, she was still walking around the city, buying the same potions she talked about with Penelope earlier. To tell the truth, it was still hard fact to accept that she would never be able to walk again. Every moment, every time she attempted what normally would be a routine to her, she realized more and more just how much the crippled legs changed everything for her. In a way, despite her pride, she had resigned to the fact that she would eternally need other people to help her around. She couldn't cry on it anymore, that wouldn't change things. Her crippling was her own doing anyway. Thinking about that made her smile as her pride bloomed inside with the thought. "...That's just nonsense, why would I be glad about this? The bath steam must be getting to me a bit..." Shaking herself from the thought, she returned her mind to what Penelope told her earlier. Her words embarrassingly made a lot of sense, and Ciela was quite ashamed that she wasn't able to piece it by herself, not that this sentiment would be something she'd admit to Penelope. Granted though, for the most part Ciela wasn't like, someone that had way different assumption regarding how babies were made, but throughout her years of studies, she simply never found it important to inquire about the exact process, and never really cared for it especially after the affair regarding her father was known to her. She just knew it involved a man and a woman, and that was it regarding on how much she knew. The entire process was honestly really scary sounding, and her imagination, although not really colorful normally, ended up needed some suppression as she slowly thought about scenarios where her father approached her birth mother...imagining that almost made Ciela puke. Yet...she couldn't really deny that she's actually feeling rather curious about it. Not about the prospect of having a child. Ciela had long since acknowledged that it would be best for everyone's sake that she didn't have any, and it's not like she would actually be able to support one, not like this. It was just...something about how Penelope described the process was quite...intriguing, in a way? How she also kept some things hidden from her also tickled Ciela's curiosity. And...well, although Ciela didn't admit it in front of the younger princess, Penelope did describe what Ciela usually labeled as relieving massage as related to the entire thing. Mas...something, Ciela couldn't really remember. If it's related, then would that actually...would it feel as good too? It was hard to explain, but the strange mix of her fear and curiosity on it actually made her feel tempted to inquire further regarding it. Perhaps...she could ask Cat next regarding this. The events of the last two days ended up with Ciela spilling a lot about herself to Cat already anyway, it's probably better than talking about it with other people, though perhaps she could also push Penelope for more clarification later as an alternative too. Yeah, that would work best. Normally, she would have just start figuring out a way to test it out on her own somehow, but the prospect of it was too scary this time to deter her from outright doing that from the start. WIth how Penelope talked about it, it'd be awkward anyway if Ciela asked anyone on the group to test her hypothesis. Though, with the full knowledge of it most definitely going to be rejected by them, perhaps teasing people like Gunther about it could be fun. Ciela could only imagine what kind of fun reaction he would have if she did that. Penelope did mention about lovers though...and love's not really a feeling Ciela had with anyone now. No, nothing that intense or passionate, or even simmers of it outside of basic interest...the image of shirtless Edrick and Asura from a few days ago returned to her mind as she thought of that, which made her giggle a bit. It was just a fleeting feeling, she was sure of it. If Penelope talked about love as Ciela understood it, then...there really only was one that she had such feelings to at the moment, and perhaps, it wouldn't change in the near future. The thought cheered her up and in an uplifted mood, she pushed herself from her lying position on the bed to rest herself near the edge of the window, to get the best view she could manage of the sector. It was a beautiful place, now that Ciela finally got the time to appreciate it. Had her experience there didn't get soured by yesterday's...everything, she would've wished to stay there longer. She then shifted her gaze to a certain building that was near the inn, and her thought changed, as her smile became warmer. "It's been a bit too long, hasn't it? I wish we can hit the road soon..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow Posted March 27, 2017 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 "Hey, don't forget that it's your turn to talk to Penelope now. It'd be silly to keep her waiting, you know?"Catriona stared blankly at Ciela before nodding and leaving the room. On the way, she wondered what exactly it was that Penelope wanted to talk to her about. Perhaps scold her for not being social enough? Wilting at the thought, the princess felt a slight heaviness in her steps, reluctant to continue.Still, she had never gotten anywhere by running away. That in mind, she firmed her stride, until she had arrived right in front of her sister's room that she shared with Sienna. She wasn't sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, Sienna wasn't a murderer like she had wondered. On the other hand, she was still a Protean, and had the potential to be quite dangerous. Letting her share a room with her little sister...but it was either that or the crippled Pontic that wasn't really a Pontic. Or herself. The woman cringed at the thought.She knocked on the door, three sharp raps before lowering her arm and waiting.A bit of shuffling noises were heard as Penelope moved into position. She could tell who it was at the door and she would greet her sister properly.After moving around so she was standing, this was not a sitting type of encounter, Penelope called out. "You may enter.""Thank you," Catriona replied, before walking in, eyes sweeping the room as per habit. Especially with the two of them together, she had to be doubly on guard in case of ambushes. She noted Penelope was standing, as if braced for a confrontation. This...was not starting off well.Penelope stood there for a few moments, silent. She never was very good with her sister. The woman was obsessed with confronting things head on and Penelope...wasn't.So she had to work fast to turn the conversation into her favor."Catriona Nabudis. I started this with the intention to see everyone's issues with the group. I was going to do that with you as well but, after talking with several of our group, I have discovered a common trend." She pointed dramatically at her sister. "The problem is you! Or...rather, the way you act. Hmm, perhaps a better way of saying it is the way you don't act. You want to lead them but have done nothing to give them reason to. This must be fixed...Think of it as Queen practice."Somehow...Catriona wasn't surprised. Or rather, she knew what to expect after having talked with Ciela. It wasn't as if she was unaware of this problem, either. This had been something she had struggled with since she was a child. However, it was annoying to have her leadership abilities called into question, by Penelope, no less. "I am aware of this, and am taking steps to amend this problem" she replied coldly. "Do you have anything else to add?"Penelope crossed her arms, clearly displeased at the response. "I am your Tactician, your advisor, if you have any plans for how to fix the problem I would advise you to tell me."The white-haired woman let out a soft sigh. Honestly, a part of her was still reluctant at the idea of Penelope being a part of this. Better for her to have stayed at home. At least then, her chances of survival were higher, though it wouldn't matter if they weren't able to stop the goddess. That, and Penelope's natural stubbornness, had been the reason Catriona had allowed her to come with. Though, she would probably have found a way to follow them even if told not to."It started with the bathhouse idea," the lord explained, feeling slightly self-conscious as she spoke. "I was hoping that that would be a way for us all to relax and bond with each other, though I cannot speak as to its success, as I did not see anybody there besides Ciela, who requested it in the first place." She paused. "I hope to forge bonds with everybody in the future, perhaps through campfire tales or songs," through it all, she remained completely expressionless. "But we cannot forget the ultimate goal, and that is to stop the goddess' resurrection. If I am disliked for keeping that in mind, then so be it."Penelope shook her head. "You should have read more. Then you'd know that the greatest of our heroes were great because of the strong bonds they formed." She was taking on a more lecturing tone at this point and it seemed to suit her quite well. "You can't just schedule it either. The best times to form bonds are when you're not actively looking to do so. You have to make yourself more approachable.""And how would you propose that?" Catriona was honestly curious. She had tried, multiple times in the past. However, each of her attempts had gone cold, for one reason or another. Nobody ever wanted to bond with her, at least, not the same way they wanted to bond with others. It was frustrating, and part of her had given up on ever really forming a close friendship with another person. Anaïs had been the closest to that, but even then it had been a different feeling, that of a vassal and their lord."Well first get rid of that scowl on your face, it's unbecoming of royalty. Who'd want to talk to you with an expression like that?""I am not scowling," Catriona's scowl grew even more pronounced.Penelope produced a small hand-mirror, almost as if by magic, and showed it to Catriona. "You." She said.Then she put it down and revealed her own face, complete with a soft and inviting smile. "Me."The white-haired princess blinked, and then attempted to form a smile...that looked more like a grimace."Spirits you're bad at this." Penelope moved closer to the girl, determination on her face, as she put her fingers to Catriona's face, attempting to rearrange it to something resembling a smile.After a few attempts she backed away, turned to her bed, and rummaged through a sack of books. She returned a bit later with one labeled. "Expressions and You: How to Find Your Inner Face-Maker""You now have homework. Read this. And practice smiling."Catriona massaged her cheeks with one hand, taking the book with the other. "This is supposed to help me?" she asked with a hint of skepticism as she scanned the title.Penelope nods with extreme certainty. "Books are not to be underestimated." She pauses and tilts her head, as if trying to remember something. "Ah, right, is there any issues you have with the group you'd like to express?"Catriona thought for a second. "I am worried," she articulated slowly. "That Edrick's inclusion will cause conflict. In fact, it already has." She shook her head, "I have decided to let him stay, and I will not go back on that decision. However, we need to resolve this. Misunderstandings have arisen. A couple, including me, are still wary of his presence, while others decry us as persecutors." She paused. "I do not believe that that is the best environment for anybody to be in."That...had probably been the most she had spoken at once to Penelope in quite a while.Penelope paused for a moment. It was as if her entire world had been shaken to its very core. Catriona actually shared an opinion? "Quick, smile." Penelope said, and, seeing Catriona's grimace, she sighed in relief. "Okay you weren't taken by an otherworldly force."She thought on the girl's words. "I have spoken with the more...outspoken of these factions, and plan on talking to Link as well, so far we've agreed to...let things move along for now. But if I see, or you see, and be sure to come to me if this happens, more issues then we'll have to all gather together and discuss it."The lord huffed at Penelope's words. "If I were 'taken over' by somebody, I am sure you would recognize the signs. As for Edrick, let us hope that things go smoothly." She could not help but be worried. "I do not wish for us to stand on opposite sides on an issue like this.""Of course." Penelope said, simply and diplomatically, in response. It wouldn't be the first time, though, she couldn't help but think."That is all, then," Catriona finished. "Have you said what you needed to say?"She had not. But there were many things Penelope needed to say and it would take far more time than they had and would lead to a confrontation like none other. "Yes, I have, for now." She said smoothly. "In that case I believe Link is the last I need to speak with. It might be good if you prepare everyone to move out soon.""So be it," Catriona said. "I shall send him in." She would have to find him first, however. Hopefully, that would not take too long. Exiting the room, she closed the door behind her before descending the inn stairs, reaching the main room. There, she would begin her search for the green-clothed soldier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakima Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 It didn't take Cat long to find him and pass on the news. Link stalled outside of the door to run through his pre-inspection ritual. He removed his hat and brushed his hair down with his hands, and smoothed out the bottom of his tunic against his leggings. He wasn’t nervous, but he was just a bit apprehensive. What sort of evaluation was this? He didn’t like walking into things completely blind, and now he had no choice in the matter. Nobody was going to bail him out of this one. Taking a deep breath and steeling his nerves, Link stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Penelope was seated in a chair across the room, by the window. Link dropped to one knee and made a fist with his right hand, resting it over his heart, head bowed. Penelope started to giggle. "I almost forgot that's a thing you soldiers did. Stand stand." Once he did Penelope spoke again. "All that I need from you is something simple. In your opinion is there any issues you have seen with the group?" Link remained at attention even after he rose back up to his feet. His expression was carefully impassive. Was this some kind of test? She wanted him to criticize the members of his unit? He wasn’t in any position that warranted asking what he thought of their effectiveness. “I’ve only been here a few days, your majesty,” he said after some consideration. “I’m in no position to be judging anyone else.”"On the contrary the opinion of an outsider can offer a fresh perspective." She leaned forward expectantly after saying this. Link shifted uncomfortably, resisting the urge to take a step back. “... They aren’t soldiers,” he said hesitantly. “but you already knew that. You could've had a much better trained group with just a word.” He paused, and then in a sudden burst of confidence asked, “...why didn’t you?” Penelope smiled. "Well." She wasn't entirely sure of the reason herself, though she had her suspicions. "The quest we're on. It's not something that should be connected to our military. An official military expidition has certain...regulations that our group doesn't have." Link nodded, but it didn’t sit right with him. Not everything the military did was on the record; he was living, breathing proof of that. The Night Wolves answered only to the Garou Commander and King Reginald himself. They veritably existed for missions such as theirs, so why would the princesses avoid using them? Was this something they needed to keep a secret from even His Majesty? Every answer just left him with two more questions. “Is that all. . . ?” he asked after a moment of silence. Penelope stood at that moment and approached him, shaking her head in a stern manner. "What happened to your face?" Link was confused for a moment, until he remembered what he had done the night before. The pain had largely faded, and he had been so focused on what the princess could have wanted it had completely slipped his mind. “Too much to drink,” he answered. It wasn’t a lie… he just hadn’t been the one drinking. "Really? You don't seem the type to drink in excess." Penelope was clearly not buying it. “Wasn’t before the Garou, your Majesty,” Link told her. Again, it wasn’t really a lie - he had had a bad drinking problem for a time when he was with the Garou. “Hard to avoid alcohol when you’re in the military. There isn’t much else to do, outside of drink and sleep.” "Well, now that you're out of it you can do much more productive things." Her eyes lit up. "Like reading! I should let you borrow some of my books!" She practically dove for her pack and started pulling volume after volume out and onto the bed. Link didn’t respond openly about her idea, outside of a small grimace when her back was turned. His reading abilities… weren't very developed. Being reminded of his own slip-up the night before helped to remind Link of something he had been intending to do for awhile, though. He cleared his throat. “Permission to speak freely, your Majesty?” "Well yeah, that's the point." She said, looking intently at one particular volume, what seemed to be a children's book, before setting it aside. Link glanced at the book she set aside out of the corner of his eye. The cover reminded him of the books Rusl used to have him read when he was young, to practice before bed. It was a good memory. “You’ve asked about all of us. Have you talked to anyone about yourself?” he said. That came out wrong. “About your own feelings, I mean. This has been your first time seeing the world outside of Galtea, I’d bet. It’s been pretty, erhm…” he struggled to find the right word. “Different, right?” he finally managed. "Different? Maybe, oh but I've read all about it so it's not that different. Most of what I've seen is just like what's described in my books." Penelope grabbed the book she had just set down. She hadn't missed the look Link gave. She held it towards him. "You want to look?" Link took the book, but he only glanced over the cover (it really was a children’s book of fairy tales). Even if he knew it probably wasn’t his place to be the one to have this talk, he wasn’t going to watch what had happened to him happen to anyone else. “That’s… that’s not really what I meant, your Majesty.” "Well what do you mean then, Link?" Penelope prompted, sitting down and getting into a relaxed position; elbows on her knees and head in her hands. Link bit his bottom lip, fidgeting with the book in his hands. The young princess looked so innocent… what right did he have to interfere with that? It made him angry to think about. What he had fought for all those years, if not so people like her didn’t have to? Why had she gotten herself tangled up in this mess? She wasn’t a fighter. She was scary smart, she should have been a scholar. She should never have seen combat, or been forced to kill someone. He lowered his hands to his side and took a deep breath. It was only going to get worse if it wasn’t addressed now, he was sure of it, but that didn’t make it any easier. “You hadn’t killed anyone before you left home, had you?” he asked bluntly. There was no other way to go about it. So that's where this is going. "I had not." She replied, startlingly brief. She wasn’t going to make this easy on him. Link had expected as much. “Books... they can’t describe that feeling. Trust me, your Majesty, I know better that better than anyone,” he started. “Knowing that you just killed someone, that they won’t ever see their family again because of you… it’s not easy. Even when it’s justified, it’s never easy.” He swallowed heavily, trying to wet his mouth. “Some people take to it easier than others do, but no one forgets about it.” Link thought of Princess Catriona and Anais, and the other Garou that he had spoken to. He thought of the grizzled, battle-scarred old man he had asked for advice when it troubled him. “I just… I saw you back in Sector 2, your Majesty. I just wanted to tell you that it’s normal to react like that. Most people do.” "And you?" Penelope said. "How did...no, how are you still reacting?" Link was caught off guard by her turning the conversation back around on him. Did she see through him? The thought unnerved him somewhat. He was trained in stealth and deception, it had been his job since he was eighteen. Were his skills fading, or was Princess Penelope that perceptive? “I get by,” he said, “some days are worse than others, but I don’t regret enlisting.” There was steel in his voice, conviction that he normally lacked. He almost sounded like he could play the part of a legendary Night Wolf for a moment. “It made me who I am today,” he finished, the ‘for better or worse’ unspoken. Penelope nodded slowly. "You're a good guy, Link." She decided out loud. She got to her feet decisively and stuck her hand out to him to shake. "We're going to be good friends, you and I." Link froze like a deer in the headlights. Not only was he even sure if it was proper to shake the princess’ hand, but the fact that she had extended her right hand posed a significant problem entirely. His own right hand was still swollen up and sore beneath his glove, and his left handed was holding the book she had offered him before. He squared his jaw and made a decision. His best bet was to hope the thick leather gloves he wore stopped her from noticing his maimed hand, because he was sure he could mask the pain using it caused. He was well-versed in hiding it when he was hurt. He shook her hand, keeping his expression neutral despite the white hot pain that jolted up his arm from the motion. “Thank you, your Majesty,” he said, voice controlled and even. "You're a strange guy, you know that? Don't need to thank me. Just make sure to come to me if there's any problems, and once you finish reading that book." She smiled sweetly at him. "Also make sure to get some salve for that hand. If there's nothing else on your mind you can go." Link saluted smartly a final time, then pivoted on his heel and exited the room. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, he deflated like a popped balloon, pulling his hat out from his pocket and putting it back on. After the exchange, Link was certain about one thing - Princess Penelope would have made a hell of a commanding officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethera Posted April 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 After finding Link, Catriona left the inn for some time to herself. Finding a secluded clearing behind the building, she sat down on some crates to think. Back then, she hadn't shown it, but she had been shaken by what her little sister had said. The girl had talked with almost everyone, and from her words, almost everybody had some sort of problem with her. That...wasn't good. Am I even qualified to do this anymore? she thought. Can I call myself leader if I draw no loyalty from anybody? She thought back to former party members. Five had already left the group. Still, she had to keep going. She would do this alone if she had to, through hell or high water. Mind made up, she straightened her back and marched back into the inn, glancing around at the group gathered there. It had been some time since she had gone to find Link, and even Penelope was downstairs. They didn't look to be waiting for her, but they did seem...restless. The woman cleared her throat before speaking. "It is time for us to depart this place," she had learned in the Garou how to speak in such a way that her voice would resonate, and, satisfied that she had claimed everybody's attention, she continued, "Santa left presents for us," before coughing awkwardly and nodding toward the innkeeper gratefully. Turning on her heel, she exited the inn. At the gates, the guards bid them a fond farewell, before one of them let out an "ah" of realization. Catriona recognized her as the chatterbox guard from the bathhouse. Oppia, she had said. "I forgot! A messenger pegasus came for one of you, an Asura," she turned from person to person before her eyes settled on the black-haired myrmidon. "Ahah! Is it you? You have the look of one of the Locrisian nomads." Not seeming to realize how her words could be misconstrued, she continued. "Didn't have a scroll with him, but he did have a verbal message for me." She lowered her voice, a stricken look crossing her face. "He said that your mother, uhh, Hazel, I think she was called? He said she was dying." Her words caused Asura's face to go ashen, the swordsman glancing to both princesses before speaking. "Sorry, but I need to go." It was easier to say those words than he had thought. Easier to just...leave. He hadn't formed very many bonds, and the few bonds he had formed, well, most of them had turned out to be liars anyway. "He's still here if you want to go back with him." "I do," he nodded. Catriona's eyes had grown hard. I should have known better than to trust a mercenary to stay with us. Then again, she sighed, It is his mother. "Very well," she spoke. "You have my leave. Take care of your mother, Asura." The swordsman glanced back at her, an awkward expression forming on his face. "Thanks. And uhh, good luck," he turned around and headed back inside the city, following Oppia toward what the princess assumed to be some sort of messenger station. The gates shut behind them with a sense of finality. Swallowing, the princess turned to look northward, toward their next destination. The noontide sun shone brightly overhead. "Let us be off," she murmured. Chapter 4: The Wild WoodsDate: Ramesoth 4th, Year 556Time: 3:00 PM (None)Location: Pelinna ForestBGMThe group had spent a long, hard day on the Pelinna road. According to the makeshift calendar, actually a journal, that Catriona had received from Santa, they had left the city on the third of Ramesoth, and it was now the fourth. They hadn't met any travelers the day before or even today. Actually, the road had been strangely barren, less used than the one between Sochen, where Catriona had met Penelope, and Ithome. Potholes caked the road, but the group had, for the most part, been able to avoid any injury. Remy had lost a shoe, but thanks to the two farmer's children, they didn't have to turn around to get him another one. Edrick managed to find the missing shoe, while Link had hammered it back on. Catriona had watched the events curiously, but otherwise had stayed distant from the group. Her mind was troubled, clouded by thoughts of Asura and his departure. Perhaps, if she had been a better leader, then this would not have happened. Then again, even the most loyal would turn away because of family. Though part of her wondered if Asura would have left for much less reason than that. They made camp there, and left before the sun had even risen. Catriona turned her thoughts away from the swordsman, pushing a hard pace that had them seeing the first pointed tops of the trees in the distance. Eventually, they had reached the entrance to the Pelinna forest itself. Catriona had seen the edges of the Vinuvian Forest in her own Galtea, but rather than broad leaves and birdsong, what greeted them were trunks that looked like giant ribs, jutting branches dusted with dark green needles. Despite the bright afternoon sunlight that draped the land, night seemed to have taken refuge under the boughs of the red-barked trees, smothering all sound. Her eagerness tempered by caution, the princess maintained a quiet, but steady pace, boots grinding on the pebbled path that wound through the woods. The path itself, and the are around it, was thankfully clear of trees. Up ahead lay a fallen tree, and standing before it, a cloaked figure. The stranger seemed almost at a height with the lord, though a bit shorter. Back turned to the group, all one could see was a sand-colored cloak that swirled around their calves. The figure crouched, as if to leap over the log. However, that was the moment that a battered hand axe whistled from the right and pinned the cloak to a small branch protruding from the top of the tree. A moment later, arrows, axes, and javelins pelted out of the surrounding trees. The group was under siege. Catriona turned this way and that before spotting a figure huddling in the branches. "They're in the trees!" she yelled, and leapt toward the nearest one, ramming her shoulder into the trunk. The tree wobbled enough for the person above her to lose their footing, but not enough to fall outright. It would seem they would have to find an alternate method. She glanced toward the stranger up ahead. Whether friend or foe, would be seen shortly. [spoiler=OOC]As a change of pace from all of the interaction lately, we're hitting the ground running this chapter. For those of us who are new *hint hint* fighting is anime-style, but your characters can only move a certain distance (around 5 squares generally) and you cannot write enemies out of commission. Since we're fighting again, rounds have started back up, which means one post per host post.Fighter-Iron Axe Lancer-Iron Lance Barbarian-Iron Axe Archer-Iron Bow Unlike prior battles, you cannot see the enemies unless you are right next to them. Ciela, atop her horse, can see enemies from two squares away. Sienna, with her keen senses, can also perceive enemies from two squares away. Climbing trees lets you see multiple nearby enemies in a two-square square. I have only shown the enemies that have been detected by at least one member of the group. The below illustrates what I mean more. The third example is for when a unit has climbed a tree. Also if you have any questions such as whether an enemy is in a certain square that your character is next to, what kind of enemy it is, etc, feel free to come to either me or Cow. I have given Cow a copy of the map key showing the locations of all the enemies so he should be able to answer those questions too. I also made a combat progress report so we can better keep track of what is going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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