we're not kids anymore.
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Peter Solarz
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sheepfilms
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@feroceor
feroceor -> pinned !
•°. *࿐ lachesis from fe4
taken from a midpoint between parts of the game, having left her daughter in leonster to seek her son in isaach, and was subsequently never seen again by either child.
affiliated with the officers academy. black eagles faculty. written and adored by nicolai.
IMPORTANT LINKS !
DOSSIER. INTERVIEW. SUPPORTS.
She doesn't have much on her, but that does not mean much. The necklace around her neck is enough incentive for Naesala to misbehave; he's only glad that Reyson isn't around to see the stunt he's about to pull. It's shiny, probably worth quite a bit of money, and easy to take. He can tell by the type of chain that it would be oh-so simple to unclasp -- and it could be sold in town for more than a few coins.
His foot pivots, tilts just enough so that his leg is poised correctly. He juts it out, slams it into the back of the knee of some poor unsuspecting passerby. The man falters, slips, and the tray he was holding goes flying. His body flings forwards, right towards the woman in front of him.
Naesala is quick to act, having orchestrated such a fall. He shifts behind the girl and puts his hands on her shoulders to steady her should she be caught off balance. The sounds of clattering are loud, and using that moment he unclasps her necklace, slipping it back into the palm of his hand.
"What a mess," he chastises, and watches as there is a scramble to pick up the dishes. He steps back, looks at the embarrassed man on the floor, and then to the woman he had just stolen from. The necklace finds its way into his pocket. "And are you alright?"
lachesis is surprised by the fall, some clumsy individual tripping right in front of her. she grimaces, anticipating a fall of her own in the commotion but she is saved by hands upon her shoulders. she's able to use the person behind her as leverage to keep from falling flat on her face.
thank goodness. she would have looked quite the fool if she had stumbled so easily.
she turns her head to catch the man's gaze. he's much taller than she, and familiar, too, from a mission they had undergone together.
a hand comes to rest across her chest as she catches her breath before turning to face him fully, curtsying politely. "why thank you. i'm just fine, i assure you."
what a nasty fall the poor man down there had taken, but upon closer inspection it appears the tray he had dropped was responsible for most of the noise and mess.
so distracted by this is she, that she does not notice the loss of a certain piece of jewerly from around her neck.
"your reaction time is, hm, fast."
𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨
Ike definitely needed the kind of guidance she'd been giving. Lady Lachesis, Princess of Something. He was terrible with titles but she seemed to take them somewhat seriously. So he'd try his best on this one.
He hadn't expected to need to do something like this when the monastery had sent him out to help this woman with her duties. Something about mediating a conflict. He thought it would be simple. Instead they had found themselves talking around and around trying to figure out what was what.
A dispute. A conflict over something as necessary as water. And only one village could flourish at a time it seemed.
When the wells run dry usually people need to move on. He knows it isn't that easy for everyone though. He's too used to life as a mercenary. Where they could just leave whenever they needed to. He and his family had never settled in one place forever even if there were some spots they always came back to.
But back to the matter in front of them Ike was glad that Lachesis was here. If not for her he'd have opened his mouth immediately but she dragged him off before he could.
A mind for subtler things. That was good because that was always a weakness of his own.
"Uh--right!" he said in response to her and let her pull him off.
Once they were away, he turned to look down at her. "So...what's so important we can't say it in front of anyone?"
lachesis was ultimately amused by sir ike. a general, as he said, but the rank seemed to be one he earned through martial prowess rather than something he was born into. she admired that, if she was honest. her opportunities had come from her very blood, after all, and she was not ignorant to that fact.
still, she had made quite a bit out of what she had, her inopportune position ( second-born to the peasant second wife, of minor blood, and, of course, a girl atop all of that ) but she could not deny that the opportunity would not have arisen at all were it not for her father's position.
a shame, all considered. but it was because of this that she admired those who carved out their own paths.
clearly, though, he had not been raised with any decorum. when he turned to her and dared to ask why they could not speak in front of others.
she shook her head. oh...
"we are sorting out a dispute for them." she answered, amusement slipping into her tone. "it would not do to let them know what we plan to decide until we decide it."
It is beyond a pleasure to be in the graces of his sister again. After awakening in Garreg Mach, he never knew if their souls would meet again. But hope and faith did bring together one of his closest confidants and allies. Eldigan lets out a deep sigh of contentment and relief as they sit next to each other at the table. It seems as almost no time has gone by and yet it has. It painfully has. But there is nearly no one he trusts in this wide world as much as Lachesis.
"My dear sister," he begins, "allow us to enjoy the festivities, as we would back in Agustria. Had the chance and substance permitted me, I would have erected the grandest of halls for you!"
How he remembers the immense balls that Agustria used to throw. Twirling Lachesis for what seemed like hours....It was stuff to the past. But she was here. In the flesh and blood. No longer did he have to think of what if. No longer did he have to pray on a memory.
"And if this banquet were a ball...." Eldigan continued, "How we could dance the night away, as we used to."
"My sister, my dear sister," Eldigan says, taking her hand in his, "please allow me to make up for my absence, in any way that I physically can. I know that it is not the same, but please allow me to prove myself to you"
"A new oath. To survive and to see tomorrow's day."
A smile stretches across his lips. Tired, sincere, reserved only for a few.
it has grown no easier, honestly.
mourning him, that is.
if one were to look, they could see the look in lachesis' eyes that the number of years apart from her brother was not what was presently bothering her. it could have been ten years or ten weeks or ten minutes, and it would have amounted to the same: seeing him here makes her feel such hope, and that terrifies her.
the presumed-dead walk all about this place and, and this is a nightmare. because there is peace when hope finally dies, when it stops moving and you can nail the coffin closed for good.
lachesis has won that peace the hard way. she has mourned. she has moved forward.
but there is movement within the coffin now. something pounding on the lid from the inside, and if that hope had been so very difficult to bury the first time... she fears the damage it could do a second. him being alive means that that could once again stop being true.
"an oath, my brother?"
but she cannot let that show on her face. he is here now, and that does make her happy. for all it terrifies her, it makes her happy, too. they have time, to enjoy frivolity and comfort and conflicts that do not involve agustria.
"you would swear something like that to me?" he had not been able to promise anything before. he had only died.
"sadly, it is a poor place for a dance. but we can enjoy a return to one another's company even so. there is good food and good cheer, at least for the moment. i would like it if you would revel in it with me."
she wants to hope that it will be different this time. that perhaps things can change.
Sharing the Kitchen - Ready to show off your own culinary prowess with a dish from your homeland? Or lend a helping hand while someone else makes theirs? Or are you nosy beyond belief and looking for scraps before the main event?
"Ah, my dear, you look ravishing tonight! Like a golden lotus blooming on a soft spring's day! Here, why not try some of what I brought? These oysters are just the thing for setting two budding hearts ablaze."
"If you'd like, I could even split the shell for you!"
she tries to tamp down on the exasperation that threatens to form across her perfectly-controlled expression. she does not know this man, but she supposes she knows his type.
she takes one of the oysters ( t'would be rude to refuse something offered ) and picks up one of the knives in the kitchen, shucking it with relative ease. princess she may be, but her hands are far from useless.
"there's no need to offer aid. see? i've got it. ah, what a surprising treat for such an occasion. one wonders about the gentleman's tastes..."
"Dear Lachesis!" Sigurd could not resist the urge to run up on the woman, to scoop her into an embrace that lifted her from the ground, just as he did with his own baby sister – for what was Lachesis if not family, and what was family without fond embraces?
He swung her around, gently landing her back onto her feet with a booming laugh, kissing her on the cheek as he separated.
"I'm pleased to see that you've come! You must help me, you know – your brother is too stern by half, and these are festivities. He must enjoy himself. I entrust him to you!"He wagged a finger in her face in jest, but could scarce keep his expression firm before it melted into an easy smile. "Here, a token, for you, my lady."
Bowing a bit, Sigurd took one of the goodie bags from the nearby table and presented it to her primly. The bag is of a plush sapphire velvet with braided gold drawstrings. If she were tempted to peek inside, they would find the festive goodies of the typical Chalphy holiday season: roasted nuts coated in a caramelized warming spice mixture, a hand-pulled twisted peppermint stick, decadent candied orange peel, and a holiday cracker to be pulled later with little knick-knacks within.
"Only the finest for a lady of your standing," he added severely, though the prim façade lasted about as long as the previous before he broke character and laughed once more, kissing her on the cheek again.
lachesis let out a yelp as she was lifted, the sound utterly undignified and instinctive before she clamped down upon it, resisting the urge to pull on his hair in retaliation like a child at play. by the time he set her down, surprise had given way to a soft sort of joy and she could not help but laugh along with him.
she accepted the goodie bag and could not help but peak within, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the treats. she would have them sooner rather than later, not wanting to wait to indulge, even though there were many delicious foods to be had here.
she grabs a peppermint stick, something to do with her hands and something to keep her from speaking awkwardly, what a thoughtful gift. truly, sigurd thinks of everything when it comes to interpersonal matters.
"for you," she says, holding out a nice bottle of wine. "not for the party, but for my dear lord sigurd. now where is that lovely sister of yours, so that i might give her her own bottle?"
she's so delighted to be here, she's almost radiating with it. nothing could spoil her mood.
𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙚
Naesala does not wish to help. Well, that isn't completely true, he's not adverse to the idea of it -- so long as he is well compensated.
The very small beorc woman who stands next to him has a certain ferocity to her, a strictness in her voice that causes him to pause. Not out of compassion for those who suffer, but rather out of concern for his own well-being. She's not threatening him currently, but he would rather not test it.
"And what happens if we do?" he asks, his voice smooth, aloof, uncaring. He should join the bandits, Ashera above knows that he has had enough experience in pirating. Perhaps he can help them to become more efficient in their pillaging. "Yes, I agree that we're both skilled, Lady Lachesis -- that was never in doubt. However, what would be the point in helping? How much are they willing to pay us?"
He looks at the villagers. A thought comes into his head: these are certainly not his people, so why should he care the slightest about their comfort?
"Unless you have another reason besides good nature, I'm not sure we should involve ourselves."
her lips purse into a tight line at his words. this self-serving little—
or... not so little. honestly, he's much larger than she is, but she's not the least bit afraid. they are colleagues, after all, and were he to take umbrage with her word choice or demanding attitude, she suspects he's unlikely to actually do anything other than try to argue about it.
it would be more trouble than it's worth. this is the kind of thing she counts on. not the goodwill of others, but their unwillingness to cause trouble for themselves.
"it is not about good nature, you know. it is about duty. as representatives of our place of work, we have an obligation toward the nearby towns."
that isn't going to be enough for him, she knows this. but lachesis has a number of tricks up her sleeve. lips curl upward, just a little.
"besides... they may not be able to pay us, but you can surely smell how good the food must be. if we help them, we will not need to worry about paying for lunch."
𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨
A band of mages commissioned by the nearby lord has been experimenting for their latest commission work when suddenly disaster strikes. Their spells go haywire, exploding and devastating the building they had been working in and many of those in the organization themselves. However, none of them are receiving medical aid, the entire town turning them away and the lord being unwilling to pay for their expenses seeing as they have yet to produce a finished work. It looks as if they could use the extra hands and medical attention if you could spare it… [Grants Faith +1]
the morning air is already hot and muggy. lachesis does not particularly care for summer days and is it any wonder why? when they seem to cling to the skin itself and weigh the body down? she walks briskly, though, and does not let this horrid weather slow her down.
the monastery has been asked to look into the aftermath of an explosion, and the task has fallen to lachesis. she does not think the extent of the situation was known, or else there would surely have been a bit more instruction given to her. the town is quiet, save for the occasional bit of chatter here and there, and lachesis bites her tongue against the urge to keep filling that quiet with words of her own, like pouring water into a leaky pitcher. the people here speak little, and so she speaks little, at least until she finally locates the mages who caused the explosion and have been, seemingly, completely ostracized for it.
denied all healing and aid, denied even a place to rest inside, away from the summer heat. a frown pulls at her lips, especially since asking around has revealed that these mages were in fact hired by a local lord. now they're being discarded? the situation seems... unfair. even if there is more to it than people are saying, she doesn't like it.
"and why are you not even willing to offer them some bandages for their wounds?" she's demanding of one villager, anger simmering beneath the surface.
"they can't pay, and our lord has said anyone who helps them is responsible for them—" comes the reply. lachesis' lips purse.
"and what would be so bad about that?" lachesis asks.
a hand is raised. the man looks firmer in his decision now. "we've all made up our minds. we're not able to risk helping them. i am sorry."
@excalibris !
november activity check !
activity check : passed!
skill points 4 –> 5
monthly skill point riding E –> E+
completed/dropped threads:
none
incomplete threads (for personal reference, ignore this if you aren’t me, though if we have a thread and it's not on here or something is mistakenly marked as your turn when it's mine please lmk!!!):
dawn breaks on the lioness: w/ eldigan ! (their turn)
a treat for a trick: w/ ranulf ! (their turn)
river goes where the water flows: w/ ike ! (their turn)
we can get free lunch out of this if you make nice: w/ naesala ! (my turn)
sanctity of fortune: w/ sitri ! (their turn)
dawn breaks on the lioness
lachesis had been humming to herself, eyes locked on a distant cloud. she oft dislikes silence, when alone, but ceases making any sound at all as she hears someone enter behind her. settling into this place is no more difficult than settling anywhere else. she cannot spend more than a few years in any particular location, it seems. is this some fault of hers? some restlessness of spirit? or will the way things compound simply not let it occur? it matters little. this place will suit her as well as any, and she will stay here for as long as she needs to. the wood-paneled space that is her office is... small. cramped. she sort of likes that. there is a homey charm to a small space. reminders of places she lived, long ago, with a mother whose face she tries not to picture. before she lived with her father and brother. a lifetime ago, it feels, it feels. the man's voice fills the room and his accent is... familiar. augustrian? no, it can't be. surely not, so far from home. memories that make the corners of her eyes prick with tears she dares not spill. not in front of anyone. not even alone. "thank you," she says, softly. more paperwork? it figures. it's always something, always something. she wants to get back to whistling her little tune as she fills it out. a song a man once taught her long ago. she finally turns to take a look at the man with the accent so familiar. her eyes widen at the sight of him. he looks as he did... the day she lost him. or at least close enough to her recollection of that day. the way grief had colored it surely takes some of the reality of the situation away, within her mind. but this alone makes her pause. suspicion encroaches on her face just after the relief fully forms. he looks just as he always did. and, as ever, she cannot take her eyes off of him. this would be too good to be true, to have a family member left after all, even one she already mourned. this would be more than she deserves. more than she has ever received. the familiar nickname almost graces her lips. eldie, she thinks and does not say. she is no longer a child chasing after him. "it's you," is all she manages. "but... how?"
Though Eldigan has been unusually reminiscent today, he thinks little of the task at hand. He merely has to get this over with, return to his quarters, and..... Thoughts stop to an abrupt halt - as if they were slammed against the wall, as the short woman turns around and it is her.
It is her. It is truly her.
He had hoped, he had tried to put on a good face, but in the time he had come here the likelihood of his dear sister appearing started to seem unlikely. Impossible. He had to be grateful for what he had, and that in truth was more than enough to fill an empty man's heart. Never in his years did he think such a miracle would reunite them.
Joy, excitement, surprise, they all fly into his steady knight's heart, setting him back as if he is flying, unable to contain all the emotions. For his dear sister was here, and there are so many things he wishes to say, but nothing does come out.
Apologies, first. To apologize a thousand times - for all the mistakes, all the wrong beliefs, his stoutness of heart, and his inability to trust her. For he was wronged by his country and could never see the incorrectness in his own self.
Other questions flood his mind. Other ideas, other things to say. For once, Eldigan finds himself overwhelmed.
But he must say something, for he is not a fool. He cannot leave her hanging.
"Lachesis," he starts, "my dear sister.....I cannot truly explain the circumstances of how I returned to life." How could he? Honestly, he does not understand them either. "They are things beyond my own grasp or reason. What I can offer you is my word as as your brother - and as a knight." Should he reach out? Should he embrace her? The protocol is uncertain.
But as he moves forward, he finds his own voice getting choked up. "And yet I vow to never leave you again, Lacheis. That I swear. I know that I gave you the Earth Sword and made you a promise but I will never break my word again. I do not know if you will trust me but...." "I would like to make amends if you would accept me. I know I have made wrong and I have seen my failings." The only thing he can do is await her response in unbearable seconds of silence.
she takes in the image of him. she does not wish to lose one thread, in the delicate brocade that makes up her memory. she needs to commit this moment, lest she lose it. she failed to commit him to memory properly before, assuming he would return triumphant, and look where that got her.
there were times she'd forgotten his face entirely. now she scrutinizes him, as if searching for differences.
she is now almost the age he was when he died. that alone stirs some discomfort within her.
even if he cannot explain this ( as if by some miracle, she thinks and does not say ) there is a deft, sweet motion of her hand reaching for his own, just for a moment, before she withdraws it.
as if to do so would make him vanish, create ripples on the water of this moment. she turns her back to him.
she is angry, still. but she is relieved, too, and that feeling is more prevalent by far. she recalls his death, the date, the time, how precisely she was standing the moment she learned of his fate.
lachesis forces a smile to her face before she looks at him again. "you will make it up to me, will you? all your failings?"
the truth is that seeing him hale and whole is plenty. but it would be a weakness of spirit to say so, she thinks. she has become a knight in his absence, her smile bright and her stance gallant. she must be strong, cannot collapse weak and sobbing into her big brother's arms. "then i give you one more chance, to keep this new vow."
of course she does, of course she does. "come. you shall have some tea with me."
𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠
Amid all the gloom and doom, there have been rumours of a pop-up ice cream parlor come to lighten the mood. Trouble is, it’s a fairly exclusive set-up, and is never seen twice in the same place. Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to receive an invitation, or have a friend who can show you the way. The Ice Creamatory welcomes all who should find their way. But as you leave, delicious treat in hand, one of the letters on the sign falls, revealing the shop’s true name: The Ice Crematory - which begs the question: just what have you all actually been eating…? Better go stop the shopkeeper from running if you’d like to find out. [Grants Riding +1]
the combination of unseasonably warm weather ( or at least she assumes it is unseasonable, she really doesn't know what the weather is typically like here, but it is warmer than she is used to at this time of year ) and rapid preparations for something unsettling that might occur have lachesis feeling a little anxious. she tries not to get that way, truly she does, but even so... there is something to be said for the way anxiety crawls up her arms and down her spine.
securing an invitation to an exclusive dessert parlor, therefore, has become her priority since she heard of it popping in and out. there's something very suspicious about it, sure, but in all honesty she minds that very little when there's desserts around.
it is no fine pâtisserie, but she is nonetheless pleased when she arrives. securing a frozen treat is the first step, the next is to find somewhere to eat it. the haphazard little collection of tables inside are all very... cramped. she will need to share one.
"pardon me... but is this spot taken?" she asks a fellow patron, a blue-haired man with... the strangest ears.
@felinebr
𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨
A once flourishing village finds itself with no drinking water from any of its typical sources. Meanwhile, their struggling neighbor has uncharacteristically begun to prosper, having plenty of clean drinking water for themselves. Though they could share the water, the two villages refuse, claiming that historically doing so only leads to both not having enough to supply for their own. As things stand, conflict seems inevitable… [Grants Authority +1]
they had spent all morning out here already. lachesis was no surveyor, and she could tell neither was her companion. this particular dispute fell outside both of their regular purview, but... the task had fallen to them nonetheless.
she watches her companion as he listens to the villagers' tales. she will ask him what he actually thinks of it once they are away from prying ears.
one must do one's duty... even if that duty is a bit outside of what is typical.
the man she's working with ( some mercenary-turned-instructor or something of that kind ) has been adorably straightforward so far. it therefore would make sense that he would keep that up with the villagers.
she has to ensure that this does not happen. she waits patiently for the villager before her to finish his side of the story, and then she takes her new friend by the arm, intent on dragging him away.
"thank you for that information. we shall discuss it among ourselves and return if we need anything further. right, sir ike?"
@ofradiances
"Lachesis!?" Ethlyn poses it as a question as she quickly closes the distance across the dining hall between herself and her old friend but really, she never doubted the Nordion would find her way here. Lachesis had a stubbornness--has a stubbornness--that could rival her own. Of course she's here. Of course she would find a way back to her loved ones.
She thrusts her arms about Lachesis's middle and pulls her into a hug with a warm laugh. There is so much to say, she is not quite sure where to start. An explanation on how she's here in the first place maybe would make sense but Ethlyn isn't even sure how she'd explain it. And besides, she's just so excited.
"Leif told me everything. He told me what you did for him. I can't ever thank you enough." She laughs, a joke Lachesis will not understand but one she finds amusing regardless. "Well, not everything. But I suppose I should leave Nanna the honors of telling you. They're here too, you know. And Tena too. All grown. Wait till you see them, you won't believe it."
Her arms wrap tighter around her friend for just a moment before she steps back. "Quan's here, too. Sigurd, Finn...Eldigan too. We're all together now."
lachesis hugs her tightly in return. her eyes shut as she leans into the hug and she blinks back a few tears that threaten to fall. there's a relief, to seeing a friend. more to seeing a friend she had long thought perished.
while she herself had grown older, ethlyn looked just as she always had, as she looked in lachesis' memories. it makes her feel a deep melancholy that is difficult to explain ( some sorrow at the thought that ethlyn never had the chance to grow older, her life cut too short too quick ) and she holds tightly to her until ethlyn finally lets go.
"i missed you," she says immediately, before any other words catch up. she's absorbing everything ethlyn is saying, but slowly. there's so much to it. leif, nanna, what a relief... altena, meeting her will be a joy.
oh, and the rest? she can hardly believe it. people she saw killed, before her eyes or in aftermath. it's all so much so quick. taking it in is difficult.
"i can't wait to see everyone. i'm so... relieved to see you. let me go sit down."
Another day at the monastery. The sunlight is bright on Eldigan's eyes and the birdsong is chipper, but something is missing in the hollows of his heart. It is on days like this that he thinks of the missing women in his life. Of Lachesis and of Grahyne.
So strange that he met Ares and Nanna here, in this curious land, but his dear sister is not here. But he will wait, he will. Anytime that he has is worth waiting for. Not that he is some naive foolhardy boy, but it seems only like yesterday when she was by his side.
He has much to apologize for. Eldigan struggles to find the words he will use when that day comes. How he was overly thick-headed and could not heed her warning. How they traded the Earth Sword and that was the last they ever saw of each other - for he fell to his untimely death.
Could she forgive him? Was she still out there somewhere, furious and angry and beside herself? It was very much like her, in a way. Yet she had told Nanna all those stories. She bestowed upon her the Earth Sword. It's in times like these that Eldigan detests himself so deeply for not understanding the full ramifications of his death. Loyalty? And for what?
But he has a duty to do today. The knights have given him an errand to run - a simple one at that - to a new faculty member at the monastery. Eldigan knows these halls like they are his own now - a humorous thing to think back to when he first arrived and was an animal on alarm.
Turning a corner, he arrives at most likely was the new faculty's office. The interior was cleaned to prepare and he merely had some paperwork and a blade to hand over. But it's when the door is ajar and he sees the back of the professor's head that his mind runs blank.
Golden hair. No, it couldn't be. Maybe he was just too hopeful. "Excuse me, lady professor," he introduces, ringing a few knocks at the door. "I am from the knights. Here to deliver some paperwork and tie up loose ends. I hope you will not mind - it is merely a formality." He sets the blade down on the desk. "The academy wishes to offer you this sword as a welcoming gift, furthermore. They hope you find it to your liking." Well, that was all he was here for. But still, the familiarity was painful. If only she would turn around.
lachesis had been humming to herself, eyes locked on a distant cloud. she oft dislikes silence, when alone, but ceases making any sound at all as she hears someone enter behind her.
settling into this place is no more difficult than settling anywhere else. she cannot spend more than a few years in any particular location, it seems. is this some fault of hers? some restlessness of spirit? or will the way things compound simply not let it occur?
it matters little. this place will suit her as well as any, and she will stay here for as long as she needs to.
the wood-paneled space that is her office is... small. cramped. she sort of likes that. there is a homey charm to a small space. reminders of places she lived, long ago, with a mother whose face she tries not to picture. before she lived with her father and brother. a lifetime ago, it feels, it feels.
the man's voice fills the room and his accent is... familiar. augustrian? no, it can't be. surely not, so far from home. memories that make the corners of her eyes prick with tears she dares not spill. not in front of anyone. not even alone.
"thank you," she says, softly. more paperwork? it figures. it's always something, always something. she wants to get back to whistling her little tune as she fills it out. a song a man once taught her long ago.
she finally turns to take a look at the man with the accent so familiar. her eyes widen at the sight of him.
he looks as he did...
the day she lost him.
or at least close enough to her recollection of that day. the way grief had colored it surely takes some of the reality of the situation away, within her mind.
but this alone makes her pause. suspicion encroaches on her face just after the relief fully forms. he looks just as he always did. and, as ever, she cannot take her eyes off of him. this would be too good to be true, to have a family member left after all, even one she already mourned. this would be more than she deserves. more than she has ever received.
the familiar nickname almost graces her lips. eldie, she thinks and does not say. she is no longer a child chasing after him.
"it's you," is all she manages. "but... how?"
𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙚
While traveling outside of the monastery, you might need to find some establishment where you can sit down and eat. However, there’s been stories of an increase in street brawls breaking out as of late. Supposedly, ruffians have started making trouble with family businesses, finding any complaint they can possibly make with the service to justify bargaining for free goods, and if the business resists, then it comes to a matter of hands being thrown. Even a simple lunch can end with a fist fight nowadays… [Grants Gauntlets +1]
the sky is blessedly clear, with only a few clouds indicating no chance of any sort of rain on the horizon as she makes her way up to one of the local restaurants within a mid-sized village.
this is starting to feel like too much of a detour. they were supposed to be looking into suspicious goings on within this village, due to its position close enough to the monastery that if something happened here it could be a significant issue, but far enough away that it was still a bit of a walk to get out here.
lachesis wants to keep an eye on the paths in and out of town, but of course there is something which side-tracks her. her companion ( a proud-looking fellow with the most beautiful wings she has ever seen ) seems more reluctant to get involved, but she cannot help but insist upon it.
"i think... we should help them," she says to her companion, after listening to one villager's story. thugs who come by demanding free food and making trouble immediately if they don't get it. disgraceful behavior, but these people seem to have no way to fight back. "we're both skilled enough in combat to make quick work of ruffians like they. one must adhere to one's duty in all things."
@corvuschriisti
𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙚
No matter where you go, everyone seems convinced that these are unsafe times and everyone wants a little extra security— some want it directly in their hands even. It’s no shock then that there are rumors of an arms dealer smuggling weapons through the port. If left unchecked, something could happen between civilians or worse, all these weapons could be used to outfit a nearby noble’s independent army, giving an opportunity for a more widespread assault. Finding out where these weapons are coming from and who they’re going to might be in the continent’s best interest then. [Grants Reason +1]
an arms dealer is nothing too out of the ordinary, lachesis feels, but people are on-edge over it all the same. the monastery is on edge, and she has been asked to accompany someone to look into the situation.
a few weapons here and there can turn the tide of war, she knows, she knows, but her perceived frivolity of this mission is significant nonetheless.
she will play her part, however. it would not do to fail at a simple task so easily. she has no reputation at stake, she is not known here, but she wishes to build one nonetheless. it would make things easier, if she were known and respected and perhaps even liked.
her gaze fixes on the young woman she is to assist. a plain thing upon first inspection, but upon second... ah, there is something there, not that lachesis recognizes what that might be. she brushes it off as easily as she notices it, though. they have a job to do. her eyes dart away toward the road. "we should begin asking around, yes? unless... do you think the straightforward approach might alert them too soon, and they may move the operation entirely...?"
@divinecrest
