Victory Ringing (Guin/Rigel)

[Deleted]

Floras 15th-18th

Rigel had had a bit of a rough time.

The day after he entered through the South-Central Pass from Hek'Cruica into Cruinthe, a veritable (and yet crude and cobbled) army had marched South just past his position. He'd swayed back on over to the river from where the road had departed it, and been privileged enough to see their spears dancing in the distance in the sunlight's reflection.

They looked ready for war. And he had wondered who they were fighting more than for whom they were fighting. As he went up the river, he came upon a bridge and crossed it. Perhaps the army would not be this way. A forest presented itself as a place to hide if any more armies came along the road; he jetted for the trees each time a traveler passed by, thinking it a scout for the host every occasion.

Finally, he realized the scouts would most likely be in uniform, and stayed on to ask a question the next time there was a person who looked friendly enough. "Where's this road lead?" He asked.

"Viktoria," the traveler said, "Beautiful, beautiful Viktoria. The jewel of the South, beyond compare of any cities in the Kingdoms."

"Tell me more," Rigel had encouraged.

As it was sundown, they decided to make camp together. Two were naturally better protection.

That night, the man told him of the city in all its splendor--and told him of the huge population of elves and half-elves which lived there. "You might find some... kinship with them folks in the city," the man said, "'Specially with their new Mayor. But I wouldn't stray too far. Folks don't trust your kind 'round these parts. Might be on edge, you get seen outside Viktoria. Ought to wear a hat... cover up."

Rigel nodded. In the legends he'd heard as a kid, the humans and elves always hated each other... He wondered why, then, they'd loved each other and made him.

Floras 19th-20th

The city was just as beautiful as the man said, and Rigel took a whole day, the 19th of Floras, to just absorb its majesty. He rounded its perimeter and rode down its main streets. He found an inn where he stabled his horse, and walked around more of the streets. He found the taverns which seemed promising, then retired to the inn. It was late, and he needed a bed for once in a fortnight...

The next morning, he showered for the first time since leaving home. He'd found civilized people again, and it had only taken him a fortnight. The city reminded him of his home by the lakeside, Cahalia City. He thanked the bucketwater for shielding his homesick tears. Perhaps it wasn't home, and perhaps it was only in appearances--but he was grateful for just a bit of comfort. So grateful.

It was said in the Tavern that the Mayor of the town would be returning from a journey to some fancy-sounding northern city, any time now. She'd taken a few days more than some of the people were expecting. He sensed a very dull feeling of tension in the air.

All that ended as a rider came through the street. "She's returned!" He shouted.

All the people in the tavern vied for the door, rushing to the town's plaza, surely wanting to get a good position to see the Mayor as she rode in on her convoy. People were all aclamor. Somewhere, bells were ringing, and the air felt cool and bright... And dammit if it all didn't make Rigel just as excited.

[Deleted]

Do I need a parade?

Guinevere was surprised about the noise that started to come from the direction of the city, that got louder as they approached the walls of the city. The soreness, and general feeling of mental tiredness began to fade. Excitement peaked through her body, and the strawberry roan beneath her felt it to. The creature picked up his hooves, stretching out his legs to move into an easy trot. Guinevere stood with the help of the stirrups, she felt excited to be home. Tom spurred his horse to try and keep pace with the lady before him.

For a moment was forgotten the reports of the siege on Helkorth. For the moment Viktoria was spared, but she felt a target being painted on her own back. The mean of the RJG, though small in numbers were overtaking the city with what seemed hardly a problem. But this was a worry meant for another time, and other company. Cassius like wouldn't care for talk of politics, and repeating herself about such a threatening topic was something she did not wish to repeat. The other officials of her city would hear her reports, if not discuss the matter further. They would be in complete darkness of the situation at hand.

The Lady did not mean to leave Cassius behind if she did, but emotion was overtaking her.

---

"Oh to see my soon trotting in, in service of Lady Lyethe!"

"We know, Marge."

"You don't need to rain on my parade!"

"What about my son!"

"Nobody likes a braggart, Mary."

The three ladies, along with other consorts from the Lyethe house rushed in and out of the Dusty Drapes Inn, finding it easier to work as the Inn started to empty. They just the little things left, as the Lady's house was still not ready to go. It would still be quite some time.

---

What the lady wore was perhaps too simple for this kind of welcome. Tan and soft riding breeches, that sat high atop her waist. A light blue shirt was tucked in her pants, it was a simple tunic top that had shifted to sit across her shoulders. Above it was a long blue cloak, the edges embroidered with a gold band. Red hair pulled into a simple french twist, some of the hair around her face loosely.

Guinevere stood a gasp for a moment at the city gates, as they opened for her without a word. Like a deer in a bright light, she gapped for a few moments. This was more people than she was expecting to show for her. A little forced at first, but the lady waved at the people and her smile brightened taking in the excitement from the crowd. In this the lady lost herself, letting the emotions lead her path down the streets. Guinevere was almost home, almost in a place where she could lay her head... To let her have a few minutes to be alone. To write a couple of letters.

Fordeth had been an interesting trip.

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-79/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

1b1JDD_8 Riding Check: Like a Boss
Thought Grasp: Failure
·

[Deleted]

"Lady Lyethe!" Some cleaning woman shouted out, waving her dustrag around to gain the woman's attention. The lady with red braided hair was riding her own horse, and doing so quite comfortably. This must be the Mayor, he thought. She led her convoy down the main road.

Rigel pushed his way between a couple of onlookers, trying to get a better look. He could see the wide city gates behind the Lady, the direction from which he'd come. But then, one of the men he'd pushed between grabbed his shoulder. "What do you think yer doin', pushin' around, half-breed?" He scowled. "First come, first serve..."

Rigel thought the man on the road said this city was nice to half-breeds. "I-I just wanted a better look," Rigel said to the man (who smelled of tanning spices), "I'm sort of short."

"Better look?" the man guffawed, "Well, I'll give you a better look, alright." With his strong arm, the tanner shoved Rigel out into the street, and moved to cover his place. "Oh great Lady Lyethe! This one deserves a better look!" Rigel landed hard in the street, though most weren't actually watching what was going on. They were paying more attention to the Lady coming down the street. He got the feeling that this tanner didn't care much for Lyethe, or for Rigel, or... any half-breeds, for that matter.

Rigel stood up, and tried to get back into the crowd, but the man pushed him down once more. "No, boy," he said, "You oughta learn your lesson. You don't get any... special treatment."

[Deleted]

The Mayor's attention was quite divided in where to turn, a lady waving a dust rag. To that she merely nodded, but what drew her attention the longest was one of her maids falling to the dusty ground. Guinevere was not sure what to feel, or what to show at a moment like this. It wasn't wise to act so openly, and stopping right now wasn't something she necessarily wanted to do. Selfish as it was, the lady wanted a few moments of rest. Before being forced back into duty, and other awkward circumstances. As rigorous as travel was, the company had made it worth it.

Suddenly, she felt the mount underneath her stop.

The strawberry roan horse sniffed at the boy that landed underneath his nose. The horse had wandered in the mindless musing of his master. The horse was quite interested in the smell of the tanner spices, maybe he had a treat. Now, a small boy had ended up at this feet. Being blind to what was directly under his nose, the horse was left to sniffing at the kid. Hey, now his master was coming down to hopefully pet him!

"What's going on here?"

Tom was rather the one to approach the kid first, eying the tanner with some mistrust. The guard did his job and stood between the tanner and the two half-elkagr. Tom was just human, but lacked much of the racism prominent in most humans. 

"Let me help you." The lady offered a hand to the half-breed that had been pushed down. It wasn't terribly prudent to her time to let the boy sit in her way.

---

Guinevere Lyethe

|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-78/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

hM|JND3t Thought Grasp: Failure
Simple, K, Riding: 55 Threshold Success

---

Riding II! +2 Stat Points --Xynestro

·

[Deleted]

The boy looked up into her eyes, and fell halfway in childish love. She was beautiful, and those reddish braids were just... fascinating, on a half-elkagr. Now she'd gotten close, he could see the obvious signs. But more than a potential lover, she seemed like... his mother. "I," he said, trapped by her eyes. Those kind but slightly judgmental eyes. The words spilled out rapid-fire, in the manner he'd always used when getting in trouble trespassing or explaining the bruises. "I-was-just-tryin-to-see-you-my-lady-but-this-woman-pushed-me-out-in-the-street-I-didn't-mean-to-get-in-your-way-I-just--" He gulped for air and regained his self-awareness.


He straightened up, air-kissed her outstretched hand, and bowed deeply. "Rigel Hawke, madam. Mason and Craftsman, at your service." Oh yes, he certainly knew how to talk pretty.

[Deleted]

"Someone got a little over zealous?" Speaking with some slight amount of amusement. As much as it didn't surprise her, she would keep up the completely pleasant facade. Well, moreso after they had managed to move away from the crowds. As far as flattery came from the lining up the crowds, it was nice, but not something she trusted to be peacefully if Guinevere allowed herself to slip up. Her eyes moved to scan the crowd before her, mouth settling into a short frown. The tanning spices made her lips curl further, Guinevere felt she needed to get both of them out of this area.

"Milady, we should continue this out of the street. The inn is not far." Tom was again worrying, brown eyes glancing over the crowd. He had already taken initiative to gain control of the Lady Mayor's horse, pulling it from getting too distracted from the smell of the crowd and various food carts.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Rigel Hawk. I am Guinevere Lyethe." Guinevere motioned for the boy to walk beside her. "It seems I am graced by a mason walking in my path as I am in need of one.

If your services are for hire."

These words all spoken on the assumption that he was following her.

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-77/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

vFwkMh26 Thought Grasp: Failure

[Deleted]

The lady who pushed him avoided Guin's eyes, and after they left, she hung her mouth in shame.

Rigel walked alongside the lady, keeping to the side of the horse. Wouldn't exactly do to walk directly behind the horse, of course, given that even the noblest horse sometimes needs to poop in their way. "Why, of course, mad'm," he said, his low Cahalian Cruic accent coming through loud and clear. "For you, my lady, I'd work for free." He smiled at the flattery he'd managed to spout, but then he was suddenly aware of the rumbling in his stomach. "Well, no, not for free, I just mean... Respectfully, mad'm, I do need the basic things of life, owing to how I just came into town from... oh, south of here a ways. I need a place to stay, and... well, I was told this city ain't as hateful towards our kind." His legs were a bit heavy under his feet, and he realized he had talked on a bit more than intended. He looked at the human man who'd taken charge of the horse. Didn't seem to be the type to mince many words. None of these people really did. Strange how all the 'dignified' types spoke so much less than the poor, who felt free to flap their mouths with chatter. He liked the chatter, the music of living life. "So yes, I'm for hire."

[Deleted]

"Free? My, my what luck!" Tone still laced with amusement and mirth.

Tom looked back at Rigel curiously. He knew his lady well enough to be aware that she was the judgmental sort. What he guessed what it was this time was pity. The lad had fallen, and the Lady sometimes couldn't help but to fall prey to sad little doe eyes. Or anyone that was of the same mixed race as her, that usually garnered too much pity, or so he thought from his lady. Cassius, now she was already on the steps to adopting this kid. Well, in a non-motherly sort of way. He blamed it at the elkagr part of her, some weird emotions were all sort of mixed into her thoughts and actions.

Or perhaps it was the fact that Cassius was going to leave her soon.

By all of the two sentences his Ladyship had spoke to him in private of their blonde haired companion.  

Was it that?

He was pretty oblivious to if anything was going on between the two, he couldn't tell.

"Viktoria has its time of being a little less hateful. Though, do not count on it."

The inn was in sight, and her group minus the before mentioned mourning mother, they were clearing a path for the Lady.

"Come, let us discuss on dinner." The growling had not gone on unnoticed. "Where are you from?" Guinevere assumed from the accent, but it was polite to ask.

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-77/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

aRIfFLPlThought Grasp: Failure

[Deleted]

"Cahalia," he muttered, almost by instinct as his mind started thinking about.... dinner. How long it'd been since he'd had a truly good dinner... A month, maybe more? He thought about home, back in the lakeside town, with his mother and father cooking in the other room, and him putting a bag on his back.

His mother stopped him and asked what was wrong. Just going out for a while, he had said. She asked him if he'd want to stay a while and eat, and he'd agreed... and they ate, and she asked him everything, and he told her everything. They cried the night away, and the next morning he awoke to all sorts of good she had packed for him in a larger bag, tirelessly working overnight. She gave him directions as to where to go and how, and sent him off with a kiss on the forehead. The food had run out halfway through his time on the caravan, but he'd eaten theirs, and it was good enough for road-food; then, after Hek'Cruica, he had only some hard tack he'd grabbed off a counter before heading out.

He was starved for a good meal. "Dinner, ma'am," he whispered in amazement. "I -- I think I could probably learn to cook, too, if I had the time." He smiled widely, thinking of the food. "Time 'n practice is all it takes, that I could do most anything you need. I could be a guard, like him--" he pointed to Tom "--or anything. I'm a good learner."

He looked around the town as the buildings passed by. Where was her palace? "And I just need a home." Any of the places would do, for now. A shelter from the storm.

[Deleted]

"Such a long way from home!" Guinevere cooed, already throwing in quiet the mother tone.

The Mayor lead the trio and horse to, and into the door of the Dusty Drapes Inn. It was oddly lacking of any sort of drapes, which was something they had overlooked for quite some long amount of time. Though gladly, it was was also not Dusty. Obviously the title givers of this establishment weren't good with picking names that made total sense. Either way, it was an Inn and where Guinevere was living for the time.

"Welcome to the Dusty Drapes." Opening her arms as she looked over the establishment. "It's home for now. As my house is in process of being built. Eventually." Hopefully that would be a further, and better hint for the young half blood. If he did at all possess the ability to back up his claim as a Mason. Or this would be a complete waste of chatting him up, and now atop that dinner and a couple nights of stay. A top that.

Maybe she could claim this as an act of charity. Yes, getting out of taxes.

"But for now dinner." Taking lead to a table near the stairwell.

"Don't be afraid to order what you wish." The service was prompt, and a maiden already stood at their table. "I'll have the greens, with a few hard boiled eggs, please."

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-76/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

4cOJpvPD Thought Grasp: Failure

[Deleted]

(We should finish this thread & open new ones)

"A long way from home, but still not too far..." he said, trailing off. Viktoria didn't seem so different. Neither had High Farrow; in fact, all cities looked the same to him. The people changed, but even then--did they, so much? And yet, he could notice a few differences in the textures and patterns of the stones and the wood, the way that they were worked together in different ways. The gabled roofs here were sharper than the nearly-flat ones back in Cahalia, where the rains outweighed the snows just a bit more, and here there was more stone incorporated into the buildings, since the mountains were closer and the woods were not quite so ubiquitous... yet at the same time, it all had the same city feeling.

Dusty Drapes. Funny name for home. "I can help finish it," he said, "Easily. Don't know if you want it to stand out more from the other buildings, give it an Elkagr or Cahalian spin, or if you want it to blend in better with the other buildings 'round here--but I can do it, I--" he heard his stomach growling. "I'm... I'll just have the greens and eggs too, ma'am," he said to the maiden, bowing his head slightly.

Yeah, he even respected the servants. After all, he was in Cruinthe; the lowest here were still better-off than the average Cahalian. He looked curiously at his new liege, the Lady Mayor, and before he forgot his manners, took to a knee. Now that they were stationary, he could finally pay the proper respects. "Thank you so much, my lady. You know-- I could be your Knight, too, my Lady. Defend you and stuff. I've got a lot of talents, I swear. Just waitin' to be used." The smile that came after that was just plain heart-meltingly genuine. At least the kid had guts.

[Deleted]

"I think an Elkagr look would be nice, I can order the stone and wood required. As that can take some time." She had thought about getting a house built, but not about how it looked. She knew She wanted a bath in it, yes a bath. A private bath would be just the thing to calm her down. Away from people gawking, any looks. Yes that sounded just divine. Privacy itself sounded just divine.

Just as she managed to look away from the young half breed, she found him at her feet. Smile charming to the highest of levels.

"There is no need to kneel!" Hand moving to her chest, in alarm, rather than the more normal reaction of embarrassment. "But you hardly know me, save you intentions of becoming a Ritgr until you better know who I am." Assuming that it was okay to ask for friendship first.

"For now, let's just speak and become friends first." And already Tom was burning with jealousy.

Hey, I am the body guard! You will not beat me to Ritgr punk!

---

LNiZqNKc Thought Grasp: Success
Who: Tom
·

[Deleted]

"Oh, uhm, yes," he stood up and brushed down his shirt. "Right, I forgot. Ritgr."

The word was strange and far too Cruinthian for him; they always seemed a little strange up north, what with their weird words for things and how they always ended in 'gr'. Almost like they were growling at everything. Like, he wasn't a half-elf, he was a half-elkagrrrrrrrrr. "I guess I'm too young for that whole thing, anyway." He shrugged. He didn't feel that young.

"But yeah. The house!" He smiled. "Your house will look incredible! I remember how my grandfather's house looked, back home." Home? "Or, I mean, back in Cahalia. It stood out like a sore thumb. Oh, that's a phrase we use-- I mean, it was just so... different from all the other houses. In a good way, of course." He was stumbling over what he was saying, and needed a break. After all, this was a Lady Mayor; she was bound to have more interesting things to say than he did. "Have you ever been to the South?"

[Deleted]

"Not too young, I just wish to know you better."

But she let the boy speak, and listened with mild interest. Her eyes turning to the food at it was quick to arrive. The Lady's tastes were well known, so a meal was easily enough prepared with word of her arrival. Extra even for the guest that was accompanying her. Though her food just looked slightly more appealing than the boys, but that was to the perks of being a royal guest.

"It is a shame to admit I have never traveled south?" The nature of her true talents kept her from roaming too far away. "I have been either too busy at home, or just unable to go being the heir after all."

"What is it like in Cahalia?"" Her interest earnest in this matter. Leaning toward the boy, even after sensing the discomfort the boy emanated about being around her. Perhaps now he would grow a little less uncomfortable. Or not, but it was a worthy try.

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:25 V:25 AG:25 CH:25 ST:25 T:25 D:25 EN:25 P:25 K:25|
|500HP-74/125SM-313MP|

sVebr2io Thought Grasp: Success
Who:  Rigel

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