A Clockwork General

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda rubbed her arms and stared at her feet.

"I worry about—hic—how it will change,” she whispered. “Peace is slow, catastrophe, quicker—!”

For staring at her feet, she fairly easily missed the uneven cobblestone in her path. Suddenly tripping, she flailed her arms and tipped forward, catching herself on one knee on the hard ground. Her cloak billowed and spilled about her.

Ow. That would bruise later. She felt her pulse in her bruising kneecap and her face burned.

"…Too quickly," she sighed, grunting and hoisting herself up again. She could already feel the street mud and grime soaking through her stockings, and she grimaced.

#elftetimmen #(sorry this took so long ._.)

Onox moved to try and stop Jane's fall, but he moved a bit too slowly and she landed on one of her knees. "Are you alright?" He asked quickly, a bit stunned by her sudden tumble. He was about to offer her his hand when she stood up by herself.

"You're right, of course. Catastophe comes quickly but its effects linger. But sometimes good can come out of it, like the plants that grow out of the singed earth after a fire." He looked down at the leg she had landed on "Did you hurt your leg? You could use me to support yourself if you wish."

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda worried her lip and nodded, falling in step beside him rather than leading ahead. He really did have the presence of one of her guards back home…but he was also just as tall. That helped.

"It won’t last," she whispered, knowing full well the danger of speaking loudly only a couple hours before curfew. "It can’t last, you know.”

She knew, at least.

"…Termina has a saying," she went on, only barely swallowing the word Lorule in time, “that the oppressed will always rise. It cannot be borne, not forever. Only someone that doesn’t know their history would think otherwise,” she chuckled sadly.

She rubbed her shoulder. Perhaps the high of the alcohol ebbed—else she felt sad for all new reasons entirely.

How could she rob from a kingdom that has become this?

"Do you think I should leave? Soon?" she asked again, almost as quietly.

"I know it can't last, believe me. And the sooner it changes the better in my opinion." He spoke quietly as they continued through the streets. His mind went to his people, who were still viewed as monsters in the eyes of most Hylians. Yes, if things could change to make everyone more equal he would be quite a bit happier.

"What I think," Onox replied after he had thought about it for a few seconds, "Is that perhaps you should observe things for a while longer, talk to your family some more, and then make your decision. You never know what might happen, after all."

dimitriofthehall

general-onox started following you

Hello there! I don’t think we’ve met, my name is Dimitri! Who’re you?

Ah no, we haven’t met. My name is Ordon, I’m just a simple barkeep. Who might you be?

dimitriofthehall

Nice to meet you, Ordon! Now now, don’t sell yourself short! Barkeepers are important in New Hyrule! Why, I can’t imagine a place without those in your occupation!

I work in the Hall of Orphans, in the church! Also a very important role in Hyrule!

Well! In my opinion working in the Hall of Orphans is a far more important job than mine. But thank you for the compliment. There are probably quite a few people who would miss the taverns if all the barkeeps suddenly vanished, but I think that the loss of the Hall of Orphans would be far more tragic.

#dimitriofthehall

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda gave him a sideways glance, but smiled herself.

"Mmhm," she replied. "And I say again, I’m not that inebriated.”

At the next corner, she bid them turn, and they made their slow winding way to her East District inn.

"…In all honesty," she asked on a serious note, glancing up at the fractal stars peeking through the sooty clouds, "what do you think of this kingdom? This country—all its good and ill combined? Surely, good must also exist, yes?"

"You say that now, we'll see if that story stays the same in the morning." He chuckled, wondering if she would have a hangover the next day. They made their way slowly through the East District, eventually turning onto a different street.

Suddenly, she broke the silence. Onox listened to her closely and thought for a few moments before responding. "I think that, as is common with any society, that it has both it's good and bad. The people here are not bad people, they are merely being led by an awful king and through him being made worse than they otherwise would be." He spoke softly, taking a few quick glances over his shoulders to make sure they weren't likely to be overheard. "That is what I believe anyways."

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda opened her mouth to protest, smoothing her hair behind her ear and replacing her hood—but he was round the bar and by her side before she could get a word in edgewise over his shouting.

And when he stood there, she regarded him silently out of the corner of one eye. Her eyebrow rose.

"…Alright," she said slowly, then turned to lead the way out the door. She wanted to prove she could at least keep a straight line.

"But just to my street. I shall let myself in."

Once outside, she wrapped her cloak tight around her arms the chill and looked up while she walked.

"Are you so considerate of every patron?" she half-joked, half asked.

He followed her out of the bar, pausing at the door to take one last glance around the room. "That's fine, I just want to make sure you get back there safely." He said, smiling at her as he came up beside her and matched her pace. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt but the cold still managed to worm it's way through the cloth and he shivered very slightly.

"Not every patron." He looked at her and smiled sheepishly "But I feel somewhat responsible for getting you this inebriated so the least I could do is make sure you get back to your house in one piece." And it was true, it WAS partially his fault for giving her such a strong drink. Not that it hadn't been entertaining seeing her reaction to it.

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

She paused her digging and stared a second.

"Well…hic…Well thank you!” she said. “Though your good service might just go rewarded—I only have 20-rupee pieces.”

She set one on the counter and shoved it across the bar.

"There you go. Keep the change," she added, flashing a grin as she slipped off her chair.

And promptly had to cling to it to keep from knocking into the other stool.

Few drinks or no, mixing her alcohol probably failed to bode her well. She stood upright again and sniffed.

"Yes," she replied late. "I shall be going now. Very—hic—nice to meet-hic you, Mr. Ordon.”

"Well, this is a business so I can't refuse money, but I'll only keep the twelve you owe. I wouldn't want to leave you with no money after all." He said, taking the 20-rupee and giving her a 5 and 3 ones. He looked at her with concern as she attempted to get up only to have to hold onto her stool to keep it from falling over.

"I'm afraid, Miss Jane, that I can't in good conscience let a woman as drunk as yourself out onto the streets alone." He proclaimed before removing the apron he wore, folding it, and stuffing it under the counter. "I'm done my shift for tonight!" He called into the back, signaling for someone else to come out and take over. "Now," He began, moving out from behind the counter and over to where Jane was still standing next to her stool, "Let's get you home."

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

She batted at her lips with a napkin and nodded. Her manners hadn’t totally abandoned her. Yet she replaced it again and glanced down at the glass with more than a little dismay. How was it already half empty? She frowned and nodded again.

"Perhaps a little too much, sir," she said wryly, going for another swallow. "You’re too good at your craft.

"If I didn’t know any better, you treated every customer this way! Though I suppose this is still a busin—hic!”

She clapped a hand to her mouth, eyes suddenly wide and cheeks spotted with pink.

"…Oh dear," she finally chanced, lowering her fingers experimentally. "I didn’t finish two drinks yet, I promise you I—hic!—promise you I’m not—hic!”

She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Why me?" she whispered.She shot a glance at the clock again. Early. But not so early.

She grimaced and reached for her purse, strapped beneath her cloak.

"How much?" she asked woozily, distracted.

The girl obviously had at least a decent upbringing, Onox judged from the way she dabbed at her lips with a napkin even after how much she'd drunk. "Well, practice makes perfect and I won't deny that I've had plenty of practice."

He laughed once more as she was overcome by hiccoughs. "If I treated every customer this way there'd either be a lot less or a lot more of them." The embarrassment showed on her face in the form of her now exceedingly rosy cheeks as she continued to hiccough. "Don't worry, everyone gets affected by drink differently and the one you just had was quite fizzy."

Suddenly she reached for her purse and asked how much the drinks would cost. He smiled good-naturedly and answered "This one's on the house, the one you had earlier will be twelve rupees. Are you leaving?" He asked, though it should've been obvious since she was paying. Though sometimes customers would pay because they were done buying drinks but then stay around for a while longer.

dimitriofthehall

general-onox started following you

Hello there! I don’t think we’ve met, my name is Dimitri! Who’re you?

Ah no, we haven't met. My name is Ordon, I'm just a simple barkeep. Who might you be?

#dimitriofthehall

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda pursed her lips, her eyes flashing with a smile, and she shoved at his arm before he drew away.

"Tease," she pronounced. "Don’t make fun. I’m the patron with the rupees, you know."

She balanced her chin in one palm and watched him mix. What more could she ask of him now? She supposed she should know more about who lived nearby…there’s a start. She didn’t trust herself with answering anymore questions, however. Who knows what grave she just dug for herself—

Her eyes widened at the sight of the translucent lightly-berry colored drink. Was it supposed to fizz like that? As he listed the ingredients, her expression grew more aghast, until finally she threw her head back and laughed aloud.

"Cotton candy!" she exclaimed. "Why, whatever kind of drink contains so much alcohol it loses its flavor?”

Hilda stared at the glass. A large decanter, yes, but it wasn’t filled to the brim. She experimentally swished it against the glass sides and, when she let the bubbles settle, she took a small sip off the rim.

She mused her lips, letting the flavor sink in, and immediately coughed. The sugars stuck to her mouth like cotton candy indeed, but how it burned.

"You…" she began, then coughed again behind her palm. "Trickster you!"

She shook her head, took a deep breath, and tried yet another sip.

"…It is delicious," she conceded. "But you cannot let it touch your tongue. Much like Terminian absinthe—oh, listen to me," she hummed, "I must sound like a woman of habit to you. I assure you, I do not partake much."

She sighed. “I have just had…quite a week. Are Hylians always this eventful?”

"A good one!" He exclaimed, smiling and laughing at her question. His laughter only increased when she was surprised by the burning sensation of the drink.

"Well to be fair I didn't warn you it might sting a little. You'll get used to it though." She took another drink and then commented more on the taste. "Well, I've never had Terminian absinthe myself, but you seem to be at least adequately knowledged about drinking. Perhaps you've had more than a few rough weeks, hmm?" He teased her.

"Well we Hylians do enjoy a good drink. Not as much as the Gorons but they can handle their alcohol a lot better." He smiled at her "I'm glad you like it though."

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda laughed. The atmosphere seemed brighter, all of a sudden, and she felt slightly heavy-headed. Like the room followed her where she turned her head.

She glanced to her empty mug and shoved it toward Ordon.

"Mr. Ordon…Pleasure," she nodded. "I don’t mean to keep you from your customers, you know. Feel free to ignore me any time.

"…But before you do," she smiled slyly, "I would like the best drink you know how to make. My last one."

He chuckled slightly "I see the alcohol's starting to set in." He commented, "And it's fine, I'm not the only one who works here and it hasn't been all that busy tonight. Besides, it's been a pleasure speaking to you so far."

Then she asked for the best drink he knew how to make. He grinned widely "Ah, you're in for a treat. Though... it might be a bit much for you in your current state... Ah well." He was speaking mostly to himself as he hurried behind the counter and began mixing together her next drink.

When he returned, he carried with him a slightly fizzing drink in a sizable glass. "This is known as the Big Rock Candy Mountain. It has some rock gin in it, which is basically a weaker version of the kind of gin Gorons drink, as well as several liqueurs, and some vermouth which, when all mixed together tastes very similar to cotton candy!" He had learned to mix quite a few drinks since he'd started working here, but this was by far his favorite. He set down the glass in front of her and sat back down in his chair, waiting for her to take the first sip.

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda took a sharp intake of breath and sat back, her hands falling into her lap.

"What a loaded question," she hummed. "I have so many family members!

"But my father’s name was Jacque, my mother’s name is Margarete, my brother’s is Samwell…and…"

Faltering on the surname—what stranger asks such personal information!—she extended her hand toward him to shake.

"And I am Jane," she grinned warmly. "Forgive me, I don’t believe I introduced myself! And forgive me twice,” she clarified, “I simply don’t give out my surname to stran—to individuals I just met.”

She frowned at the latter inquiry.

"The Four Giants, of course?" she asked in return. "Do they obstruct their teachings here too?"

"Ah my apologies." He said after she had listed off her many family members, and finally introduced herself. "I did not mean to pry, but I wanted to be sure that you weren't some sort of government spy here to cart off anyone with... less nationalistic sentiments." He quickly made up an excuse, for his reason had been to pry and to see if there were possible secrets to dig up. "My name is Ordon." He shook her hand, "And as you can see I'm a simple barman. I won't give you my last name because, likewise, it's not something you'd typically give out to strangers."

He smiled as she answered his question easily and asked her own, "Ah! The Four Giants of course! No, forgive me I'd just forgotten. It's been a long time since I've spoken to someone from Termina." She seemed trustworthy, she'd answered all his questions easily enough anyways. Either she was telling the truth or she had enough to hide that she prepared her answers ahead of time, just as Onox did himself.

novemregnorum

A mysterious being named Laonel forces the worlds of the Legend of Zelda series together with mysterious gates, seemingly for their own amusement…

novemregnorum

'Plots' split into different chapters, with the first chapter being a grisly game of 'Last Man Standing' in an eerily empty Skyloft. Forced together, will the cast forge alliances or eagerly betray friends and strangers alike?

Et Novem Regnorum will be open for auditions from June 11th to June 25th. Both OC’s and Canon characters from the Legend of Zelda series will be accepted.

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#enr #ooc post

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda’s jaw clicked shut and her eyes widened. But she didn’t have time to reply to his jibe before he began again with the bait. She swallowed the lump in her throat quickly and tried to pay attention, only sparing the clock on the wall a passing glance.

She mulled over the connections and nodded again, feeling a bit thick in the process. But of course—she knew just how strong faith operated here. She couldn’t be reminded further. Though she never thought, never once believed…

She looked up quickly.

"Termina," she said shortly, the word falling from her lips before she planned her actual explanation. She shook her head.

"Termina…but my family’s letters stopped coming, as of late," she went on, wringing her hands. She cast her eyes down and away.

"I didn’t know why, couldn’t ever have imagined…but here I am now."

She suddenly frowned and examined the remaining patrons.

"That…is not bad, is it?" she asked lowly. "Hailing from Termina?"

The woman's reaction was not lost on Onox, but he had no idea what it meant at present so he decided it was best not to linger on it. "Termina hmm?" He said, scratching his chin. "If you don't mind my asking, what are the names of your family members living here?" He was curious and a little suspicious now, so the natural thing to do would be to try and test how trustworthy her words were.

"Oh no, quite interesting actually." He responded before asking her another of his own questions. "It's slipped my mind, what kind of religion do they practice down in Termina?"

How Loud Are the Drums of War (oh wait those are explosions) - Solo

Onox had been in the Southern District visiting one of the taverns that he preferred to gather extra information at and had been on his way back to the Eastern district, almost at the bridges that would take him back across, when he heard explosions and the ground began to shake violently. He turned immediately around and dropped to the ground, knowing that standing and trying to move would likely result in his falling over anyways.

As the explosions continued he began to hear people screaming from farther into the district, and his curiosity got the better of him. He began crawling slowly back in that direction, until the tremors eventually subsided and he was able to stand and run. It took about fifteen minutes but he finally reached the obvious location of the explosions.

The bridges were gone. All of the bridges that had connected the Southern and Western Districts to the Undesirable County were gone. Onox stood there, as close as he could get to the edge of the land, and stared across the gap at the place he had once called home. For a few moments he was almost blinded by rage. How dare the King, because who else would it be but him, leave an entire island of people to die? How dare he leave Onox's people to die?

Onox wished nothing more than to turn into the most hideous beast imaginable, fly to the castle, and rip the King to pieces right this moment. But he wouldn't. He would wait, as he always had, until the time was right. And when it was, when a chance finally came about, he would do his best to make sure that it was his sword that brought about the King's final breath.

#solo

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda shrugged a shoulder and finally thought to slip her hood down off her head. The yellow light distorted her hair color, too, save for toward the most discerning of observers; otherwise it simply fell heavy and black down her front.

"Isn’t everyone?" she asked off-handedly. "Even I know New Hyrule keeps its fingers in many cauldrons, and I don’t politic.”

She leaned forward against her elbows and listened, nodding intermittently. When he reached talk of the Oracles—and she only knew of them through her investigation—she cocked an eyebrow and squinted.

"I’m afraid you’re venturing into in-the-know territory," she replied. "Otherwise, you would have me believe that the Church and the Crown coerce one another."

The statement invited more information—she waited patiently, toward the end of her drink now, to see if the bait would catch.

Onox took in the woman's appearance when she lowered her hood. She was pretty, some would probably even call her beautiful. Her hair was... well it appeared a regular brown though there was almost a slight tint to it. He decided not to pay it to much attention.

"Well yes, but that doesn't mean that everyone feels as if this kingdom should go on for much longer. There are those who would see it crash back down to the ground below." Onox grinned tightly at her.

He decided to tell her, whoever she was she obviously wasn't from New Hyrule and he figured there was no harm in telling her. "If you think that the Crown holds ALL the power, you would be wrong. The people's faith in the Goddess is strong. The Oracles are connected strongly to the Goddess. The Church keeps the Oracles. The Church and Crown work together to make sure that neither of them loses its power." He explained. "Where are you from anyways, that you don't know any of this?" He decided to ask her a question that had been in his head for a while now.

An Unexpected Meeting - (Onox & Hilda)

Hilda’s head felt heavy and her heart thudded for reasons unrelated to the half-drunk flagon of beer. She took another gulp and sat. Goddess. And to think she believed, for so long, New Hyrule sat securely on its pedestal. Did she travel to a crumpling precipice awaiting a rock slide, instead?

And then what of HER people? Would she take comfort in the potential doom of both nations? She supposed that, as a last resort, she could throw her country to the wind and force them to scatter…but what would be the consequences of humans on land once more? No. No, she couldn’t let herself follow a maze of what-if’s or could-be’s.

"In that case," she slowly replied, "whichever side would emerge hypothetically triumphant, I only wish they do so quickly, and with strength. This…"

She hesitated. “This kingdom must stay afloat.”

She chuckled a hum mirthfully and sipped her drink.

"What a time to visit," she grumbled. "And here I might be taking my family with me when I go."

Suddenly curious, she tilted her head to regard the bartender.

"And what would you do?" she asked.

"You seem to be quite invested in this kingdom, for someone who says that you might just take your family with you." Onox observed. "I won't ask why though."

He leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling, "I... have thought about that quite a bit, truth be told. I could always leave, but I'm afraid I've invested too much in this already to just abandon everything. If I had to make a decision right now though... I think I'd support the Princess. And the Oracles as well. Not the entire Church... just the Oracles." He frowned slightly, he didn't think that he was giving too much away. He had never worked with the rebels, all his actions had been his own and he had decided to take them to try and make a better future for his people.