@princessxaytac
Location: Nornwatch Keep
Freydis had heard that Aytaç, Ormir, and the prince had arrived at the keep not long before she and her territory’s populace had. Still, she hadn’t yet run into the princess face-to-face. As the first few days of refuge in that gloomy fortress dragged themselves along minute by minute, she found herself anxious to reconnect with–well, what Aytaç to her? Her friend? Surely she was Freydis’ superior by title, but was she in terms of actionable power? And wasn’t it a little bold of someone of her low birth to presume to hold the privilege of defining a relationship with a princess anyway?
Regardless, she found herself longing for whatever it was the pair of women had shared between one another over the last decade or so whether it be friendship or companionship or just shared feminine rage under the thumb of a patriarchal lens. After three days of contributing what she could, working herself to exhaustion to try to secure even the most basics of provisions, and exploring every channel and nook and chamber in the recesses of the cave system her feet could carry her to, Freydis chose the selfish thing and sought out Aytaç for herself.
When Freydis finally spotted Aytaç amongst a cluster of subjects, each one looking somehow more tired and dejected than the next. Aytaç herself looked different than Freydis was used to, displaced and undone–but still herself, even outside the opulence and unending resources of the palace. The jarl tried to reconcile the strange but misplaced excitement she felt to see the princess in the midst of the current circumstances–was what she feeling relief or did she just feel guilt that she had the capacity for excitement despite the destruction and hopelessnes all around them?
There wasn’t enough time for Freydis to decide when Aytaç excused herself from the company of the refugees. Unsure if the princess had noticed her yet, Freydis stepped forward, her calloused hands clasped together behind her back. “Might I humbly request a council with Her Royal Highness?” Freydis called from a few steps behind Aytaç. While the formality in Freydis’ voice sounded sincere, it was primarily there to irk Aytaç–such formality between the two had not been needed for many years.
