RP:A Sword Deerly Needed

Cenril Town Square

Alice trudged along, still clad in her armor from just moments before. Keeping pace with her was the timber wolf who had delivered the first message to the person she was meant to meet just now. A smudge of dirt was on her cheek, and the sword on her back hadn't yet been wiped clean of the most recent kill's blood. Not that, of course, she was just killing willy-nilly, no. She had been off doing some hunting. Over her shoulders is the fresh kill; revealing a startling amount of strength for a female of her figure; a deer. Its hooves were bound together, to keep them from swaying and hitting her as she moved. Finally she came to the place that she had been aiming for, and she gently put the carcass down; careful not to let it drop. She didn't want the meat to bruise. "Be keepin' yer teeth outta it, Meadfamg." Tne full, and rather silly name of the wolf was given with the sharp order, but the beast complied easily, settling down and watching on. She removed her helmet, revealng her fiery hair, currently held back into a ponytail. It was all a waiting game now, to see what would happen next.

The pair of Guards on duty today were keeping their eyes flitting from passerby-to-passerby, Herre and Gain, faithful soldiers to the Cenrilli cause if not a little long in the tooth to be patrolling the streets or leading raids. The approach of Alice most certainly goes noticed by Herre at first, whose whistle through the gap of his front teeth can be heard by Gain, drawing the latter man's attention in kind. A raised eyebrow is all the verbal exchange that is necessary as the woman comes to a halt and Herre steps forward, and down the steps, to greet the woman. "Greetings…" He searches for a title for the woman, "…huntress. Have you come to sell your wares this day, or is there some way we can assist, I know the kitchens would happily take that off of your hands, there are many mouths to feed in the Guard nowadays, more and more come to our call." A hint of pride cannot help but breakthrough his polite diatribe, both he and Gain standing a little straighter as thoughts of grandeur rekindled take hold of them. The Guard would rise again.

Alice nudged the carcass with a foot and shook her head. "Wouldn't call myself a huntress as much as I'd call myself other things. Anyhow, it's a gift, fer the kitchens. No payment necessary. I'd get it in there right quick, though. Been about an hour's walk." She nodded slowly. "Meat won't be sour yet, but ye don't wanna take much more time on it." She rubbed at one of her shoulders as she gathered her thoughts. "I sent a letter. Dinnae who I were conversin' with, but they seemed right interested in meetin' me here. I'm here to... apply to be a Guard 'er a knight, 'er sommat." Her voice, for once, was incredibly serious. Usually, this particular woman held some sort of joking or jolly tone. But in this instance, things were directly relating to Cenril, a town that to her, meant the whole world. Her passion had began in Rynvale; but after a few choice incidents, her eyes had turned to yet another sea-set city. Cenril needed more help, if you asked the redhead's opinion. "I wrote sayin' to wait fer Al. Tha's me."

With a signal from the wizened Herre, Gain runs inside to collect a few kitchen hands who in due course come and relieve the red-haired woman of her gift. Meanwhile, Herre has been speaking with the woman, although her wolf is eyed somewhat suspiciously, "Yes, well, thank you for the gift, a great first impression for the hungry men and women of the Guard!" Any doubts that the man may have had about woman or beast are expelled almost immediately as Alice expresses her wishes, for all the world Herre was acting like he had known the woman all his life. "Come in, come in, let me get you to Regin, he is the Head Clerk around here. You probably got a letter back from Malanx, Edgar that is. He is the High Captain, great man…but Regin probably replied, he is in charge of the recruitment drive at the moment for the most part. He'll see." He shakes his head to emphasize the point before returning to his speech about Malanx, "A great man, Malanx. Picking out all the bad apples from this barrel for the last few months done us the world of good it has, oh yes it has." As the two continue deeper into the building, assuming the wolf keeps pace, Herre continues his endless tirade of words, "You obviously know what you're doin' with a blade or bow if you felled that deer, eh? That's good, a lot of the recruits at the moment are a little green around the gills. Good lads and lasses, don't get me wrong but just new to the blade. We're not all born into it, some of us gotta be taught, but be taught to defend our own we can and will. That we will, lass." More emphatic nods, "Anyway, here we are Regin's office." With a swift rap of his knuckles Herre opens the door, knuckling his bushy moustache respectfully as he takes in the rooms contents, Regin at his desk, a single chair currently vacant and a small window behind the Head Clerk which illuminates the countless stacks of papers and folders that reside within the otherwise neat room. Regin raises his head, smiling politely as he in return assesses the situation before him, "New recruit, eh, Herre?" Yes, those eyes were quick alright, Alice's every nuance studied with an eagle like accuracy, his mind was Regin's weapon and it was sharper than any blade. "Come. Sit. Tell me of yourself."

Alice smirked as she saw that Herre's general attitude about her had changed. The gift hadn't been an attempt to butter anyone up; but it certainly had had it's positive effect. In reality, she had decided to hunt the deer, having heard that the Guard was at least attempting to get back on its feet, even with all that had been going on in the area. She found it noble; and every noble deed deserved just reward, in her opinion. She followed after him as he lead the way, listening to all he had to say. She was sure the pieces would all come in handy every now and then. "Malanx... aye, that name sounds about right. His handwritin's utter rubbish, though." She let out one of her jovial laughs. She kept an eye on Meadfang the whole while, making sure he didn't get into any mischief. Every now and then the wolf would stop to sniff at something with curiosity, or occasionally reaching to lick at the woman's hand. A nod was given to Regin as she made eye contact. She seemed slightly muscular; but not enough to take away from her clearly feminine figure. She wasn't exactly the tallest person ever, either, but the armor she wore, stained with blood and warpaint seemed to echo the ferocity that blazed in her bright blue eyes. "As he were askin' a moment ago..." She motioned to Herre, ".,,I be talented with a few things. I can handle an animal with a bow jes fine, and I can kill jest about anythin' ye could want me to with a sword." She paused for a moment. "Though to be tellin' the truth, I hold me own best with a battleaxe. Two-handed. Double edged. What I grew up weildin' next to me Da, and it's what I weilded in the Venturil wars, 'longside King Eboric." She casually revealed a bit of her military life, and some of her warrior childhood. She cracked her neck, it was still sore from the hunt. "Though, to be sure, I also spent me fare share o' time at the damn kiln, fixin' up weapons as they broke." She was again referring to her time with Eboric. She finally sat.

Herre excuses himself from the room as the woman sits, speaking. He had his orders, listening to recruitment talks wasn't one of them. Regin however remains quiet and keen in his assessment of the woman, nodding slowly as she speaks, his tight features hardening at the mention of certain events. At length, when Alice comes to a close Regin fills the silence that fills the void with a thrumming of his fingers on his desk before moving to stand, his clever-brow eyes never leaving her façade, "So let me get this all together, if you don't mind, your words are truly impressive, of course they are, you know that as well as I. If what you say is true than there is no doubt you will be welcomed into the Guard with nary a word. However, two things, why? With such experience and -friends-," Eboric obviously inferred, "..why us, why a crippled legion and not the ever victorious army of the Barbarian?" With a few short steps the Head Clerk has turned about to face the window, looking out and down upon the training yards below where the clack of wooden lathes resounds even at their current height, the practise swords below a near constant drone now with the surge in recruits. "Would you be open to trial by blade, a wooden one of course? I have, recently, met a few would be warriors who deem themselves above proving grounds and initiation into the Guard - such people are not wanted for our core and so they have left empty handed and big headed just like they came. What of you, axe wielder, what sort are you?"

You let out a merry chuckle. "I hold the title of Ambassador in his kingdom; but I am no Barbarian. I am a warrior. I consider myself a shield to those who need me. As it stands; Venturil is strong, and does not need my full attention; other than my hand as a smith, and ambassador, of course, for now. I see that this place, Cenril..." She suddenly quieted, and her own brow furrowed. She seemed to be thinking quite deeply. When she finally spoke again, her voice was slightly soft. "Cenril itself reminds me of the home I lost many years ago. Two neighborin' islands; the clan's isle, and the city's isle. They were close together, and mark my words... everything about this place reminds me o' home." She went quiet again, for a short time. "I wasn't able to do the savin' I was supposed to do back then, an' that place don't exist anymore. But I feel like I can make up fer it here. I can make good on what happened then, and work on helpin' rebuild this place up to glory. But it's baby steps, aye? What better place to start than where I know best, with a weapon in hand, and somethin' to defend?" She sounded almost inspired the way she went on about it. "And aye, I'd be willin' te a trial. Always nice to test me own mettle."

Regin is not a man of unnecessary words, with so much on his plate within the Guard he had to be frugal with them, written or spoken he was nothing but efficient. With a nod he gestures for the woman to stand, "I like what I see, I like what I hear, let us put you to the test." Canting his head toward the window he continues, "Below us, in the heart of the building, is the training yard, make your way down there, take an escort from outside my door if you wish for aid in directions, tell Quartermaster ** that I have sent you for a trial. He will set things in motion." With a sudden grin Regin comes around to confront the woman more directly, "I have a good feeling about this, about you but please, spare the men below their blushes if you are truly what you deign yourself to be. You will make no friends by embarrassing a bunch of recruits and…" A slightly wry frown catches the tightness of Regin's features as his words soften, "…well, like you say it is baby steps, what we need is reassurance and guidance on this path we have chosen. It is tough for these men, farmers and mere boys some of them, nobles tossed from their Houses by the thugs who roam the streets at night with no fear of justice. It is a terrible thing and that spirit, slight as it is, that remains in them to fight against it is what will see Cenril through these tough times, please, if you wish to truly join us, be of the Guard and for Cenril kindle that flame, make it burn bright do not snuff out for the sake of your ego like those who have stomped all over these brave men before Malanx came into the fold." With another perfunctory nod Regin takes his seat, seemingly suddenly tired and bides the woman goodbye before returning to his mass of paperwork.