RP:Confessions to a Kit'napper

Walled Courtyard

Passing through the impressive North Gate or standing upon the threshold of Frostmaw Fort, the courtyard sprawls out before you, securely fenced in by the mighty wall. High above upon the wall, soldiers march and sentries stand guard, ever watchful of Frostmaw city's borders and those that move throughout the fort. With the knowledge that sharped eyed archers oversee activity, one can move through the courtyard upon a stone-paved pathway, each piece handcarved with intricate, tribal designs beloved of Frostmawians. Bordering the path are grounds that should be nothing more than packed earth and snow, yet it appears to be a lawn of finely trimmed grass, of all things. How is such a thing growing in these harsh climes? Whatever the sorcery behind it, grass dominates this courtyard, a rare splash of color so far North, and dotted with statues of various famous warriors of lore. Lining the pathway are lengthy, tiered constructs of stone and ice: benches, you realize, cunningly wrought to provide seating for races of any height. Southward lies the gates to depart this area, well-guarded to prevent the ill-intentioned from fleeing. While northward looms Frostmaw Fort, a behemoth construct of stone, wood, and ice, riddled with battlements, towers, and a myriad of deadly defenses. As if the walls, mounted, giant crossbows, and guards were not daunting enough, to the east and west lie the courtyards of the Titan Sentinels, their earthen and frozen heads visible over the walls. The City of War seems to have earned its title.

Satoshi sits upon a small pile of lumber as a makeshift bench, gaze on the collection of objects strewn about the ground in front of her. Scraps of wood, chunks of ice, sheafs of paper, all jumbled together in a seemingly chaotic fashion. Yet Satoshi seems to make sense of the arrangement, and any others looking from her vantage point too may see that what, from the outside, looks like a collection of trash is, in fact, the layout of a building. Having grown tired of looking at designs on paper alone, Satoshi is constructing a small model of Frostmaw's fort, fine-tuning ideas for its rebirth. Additional stories, thicker, stouter walls, towers, a new stables, and training grounds are laid out here, although it'd take a keen eye to make clear sense of Satoshi's makeshift model.

Hildegarde had been assaulted with complaints by a few citizens, something to do with littering? The knight couldn’t see it being too terrible an issue but she gave her word that she would investigate the matter, for she could hardly allow something to block the way to Frostmaw’s fort, especially with repairs underway. She walks with reluctance to the area, ready to sigh and presumably ask what was going on and seek some sort of compromise. Alas, the sight of Satoshi she seems to understand what is going on here. The Silver leans on her halberd and watches the Eidolon in relative silence, before addressing her: “What plans do you have in mind, m’lady?”

Satoshi doesn't seem to notice Hildegarde at first, giving a start and thus knocking over a 'tower' built of tiny ice chips. Cursing, the magus leans down to restore the pieces to their proper place--strangely, without resorting to a simple magical cantrip--before weary eyes are lifted to the knight. "Hullo, Mithril. Plans? Oh! This? Trying to find that balance between stone, wood, and ice, like I did when I built Eyrie's outpost." Except that Satoshi had actually slept regularly back then, ensuring her magic was at its fullest potential. Now? She hasn't slept a wink since returning to the city with Kasyr, as ragged and worn as her husband. And it shows, in the stooped set of her shoulders, the droop of her normally animated tails, and the hazy quality of once bright eyes. "Come, lend your military expertise." Satoshi pats the lumber beside her in invitation with one hand, while the other is lifted to stifle a yawn that's far too large for someone so very small. "Do you see any weaknesses I've missed?"

Hildegarde , like Satoshi, has also avoided sleep purely because the faces of the dead plagued her waking and sleeping moments, but in the land of dreams they held more power over her. But the knight is stubborn, she would never admit she was tired, especially to the likes of Satoshi! So instead, she frowns and digs her halberd into the snowy earth so it might stand without her support. She wanders over to the lumber and scales it easily, standing up so she may look over the assembled plans. As she gazes at the plans, she speaks quietly to Satoshi, “You are tired. Have you been sleeping?” she asked with concern. “These training grounds, what will you do with them? Shall you have the walls around them so outsiders cannot see our practices? We already have the Academy to the west, so do you truly need these training grounds here? Would you not, perhaps, be better with something else or do you find it truly necessary?”

Satoshi shows no signs of being offended or insulted by Hildegarde's suggestions. She gives the remark careful thought before hands deftly shift a few rectangular pebbles into the mentioned section. "Perhaps more barracks, for your Queensguard and the wall defenders? Naturally, we'll want some training grounds that are not readily visible, for you to practice without peeping eyes. But you're right, they were a bit much in size and quantity." Satoshi leans back then, back braced against the lumber as she peers up at the knight. As if one subject naturally leads into the other without a shift, the magus remarks, "So, what's this I hear about a disturbance in the tavern, courtesy of a Silver dragon?" If Satoshi knows Hildegarde hasn't been sleeping, she doesn't mention it. Likely to skirt around a mutual subject they're both trying to avoid.

Hildegarde gave a small nod in agreement, “Barracks would be good, yes, the Queensguard need to be close to you and the fort itself.” The Silver continued to stare at the plans, considering what else she could offer in terms of her thoughts. “We don’t want people to see our particular method of training or strategy, for who knows how long alliances will last. Speaking of alliances, we ought to do something in their favour to acknowledge their effort. Perhaps a banquet of some sort, something that shows the welcoming side of Frostmaw. Our tournament is all well and good, but we must show our personal allies some sort of private favour, I think.” She shrugged her shoulder, “But what do I know of politics?” At the mention of the tavern, however, the knight grows rigid. “Your ears do not miss a thing, do they? It was a lapse in temper,” she said, not wishing to admit it was a bigger problem or that she had wept like a child and Drargon had to usher her to a room.

Satoshi, by way of answer, tugs lightly upon one of her vulpine ears. "They're not just pretty to look at, y'know." She flashes the knight a tired smile, although it's quick to fade as she again pats the wood beside her. "Sit. Talk. And not as knight and queen." Although Satoshi is no empath and cannot know what lurks beneath the knight's surface, she's come to learn that Hildegarde is a creature who wears her heart outside of her armor. Satoshi does not doubt that something is eating the Silver since the war's end. After all, this is the knight who would mourn a flower trodden upon by unwitting boots.

Hildegarde ’s smile is much the same: weary, weak and not entirely true. Even though Satoshi says they are not to speak as knight and Queen, the woman is obedient as she drops into a sitting position upon the lumber and rests her elbows on her knees as she hunches slightly. “I feel like since losing my eye, I have become more perceptive than ever. You are tired, you are more tired than you’d say.”

Satoshi frowns at having the tables turned on her. And yet, she'd told Hildegarde to speak as a friend, not a knight. To this, the magus concedes with an uneven shrug. "True enough. I have not rested since returning. But how can I, when there are still people of Frostmaw without home or bed? How can I, when not all our warriors have been laid to rest yet? When my people can return to their homes, and their loved ones given their final resting places, then I shall sleep. I am undead, I do not require sle--" Another yawn halts Satoshi's words, ruining her statement. Frustrated by this, the kit gives a peevish huff before nudging her shoulder against the knight's knee. "And why aren't you sleeping? Best voice your thoughts, Mithril. Remember, you're bound to a couatl. Keep things bottled too long, and you'll infect him as well."

Hildegarde snorted as the Queen yawned halfway through her statement, but she says nothing for the moment. She waits for the right moment, of course. “Do you think the people sleep easy knowing that their Queen cannot?” she asked, offering Satoshi as pointed a look as she could manage. “They feel as though they too cannot rest until you do, I have warriors and would-be squires coming to me and asking whether or not we still have battles to face because you are always on the go. They fear you are trying to prepare the city for some sort of attack or last battle,” she said quietly. “If you cannot sleep, then surely you ought to pretend. Perhaps, you should return to your chambers and carry out your plans and business there; out of sight, so they cannot see you worry.” The knight hadn’t even considered how her state of mind would influence Kenway’s, which made her feel even more guilty. How could she have been so selfish, so stupid? With a sigh, the knight shook her head, “I… I cannot sleep without seeing the faces of the dead enemies or our fallen comrades. I… They…” she shook her head and curled her hands into tight fists to quell the trembling she could feel beginning to stir. “They do not leave me, not for a moment,” her voice had dropped to a whisper, as if speaking any louder would set her off. “If I am not careful, I feel this… this tightening in my gut,” she said, curled fist settling before her abdomen, “and this shortness of breath, like my lungs are being constricted. I… I feel overwhelmed with panic. Sometimes,” she began before shaking her head, “sometimes I feel as though I do not… do not deserve to continue existing,” she said, feeling as though she had been a shade too honest. She knows she has said too much; her eye is already misting and obscuring her limited vision; her stomach is beginning to tense. It always began like this.

Satoshi is either learning, or is too sleep-addled to argue Hildegarde's words. The Silver is right, and they'd had this discussion before. Admitting this to herself is like tearing out the foundation stones of a dam within Satoshi, the need and desire to sleep overwhelming her like a flood. And thus, although she tries, truly she does, to listen to the knight's confessions, Satoshi can feel her exhaustion winning out. Somewhere between one word and the next, the magus leans lightly against Hildegarde, perhaps seeming to offer a nudge of encouragement, and yet in truth, she has fallen unconscious. As such, Satoshi misses half of Hildegarde's words--although, for a knight as humble and bashful as she, maybe it will spare her later self-inflicted shame to say such things in front of her queen. Satoshi certainly doesn't mean insult, and honestly wouldn't have chosen armor as her first choice in pillows, but some things simply cannot be helped. This much is expressed into Hildegarde's mind then by Emielle, the couatl always privy to Satoshi's conversations, and thus aware, and quietly analyzing, what had transpired. << Dear Knight. Forgiveness. She means well, >> Emielle remarks gently, careful to not allow her mind to stray deeper into the Silver's without invitation. << When you are ready, come into the mountains. I have much to show you. You have much to say. >> Clouds above swirl, hinting at the couatl among them, on the watch as she always is.

Hildegarde had lifted her chin a little and expelled a carefully held breath, frost billowing from her lips to signal her upset as she blinked in a bid to stem her tears. “Forgive my words,” she began, “and gods forgive me for my actions,” she followed, before realising that Satoshi has, indeed, fallen asleep. For a moment, she is relieved and for another brief one she is saddened. Alas, relief wins out in this clash of emotions. << Lady Emielle,>> she replied courteously, <> With a frown, the knight realises it’d be best to move Satoshi while she sleeps and get her somewhere more comfortable. So, with careful movements, she bundles the Eidolon into her arms and raises to her feet slowly. Carrying Satoshi is easy enough, she is light and her cold aura doesn’t bother the dragon. She carefully leaves the pile of lumber and makes her way into the fort, heading to the Queen’s chambers. << Satoshi does not need my forgiveness, as that would mean she would have transgressed against me which she has not,>> she says in the hope it will soothe any worries the couatl might have.

Satoshi is missing out on gloating about knights sweeping ladies off their feet. Not that now is a time for gloating or jokes. Thankfully, Emielle doesn't carry Satoshi's same strange sense of humor--or any sense of humor at all, really. When her voice echoes in the knight's mind, it is its same gentle tone, never faltering with anger or joy, never judging or assuming. << I am young, I know this. The Fire-Hearted Wizard says my mind is older, and whether that is true or not, there is one thing I am certain of, Dear Knight: every thought, action, and feeling is important. To you, a speck of dust may seem irrelevant. But I have watched dust drift through a room for hours before succeeding in going out a window, to soar to places unknown. I have shared in its joy and triumph that goes unseen by others. I have understood that every swirl of air, movement of a body, and gust of a breath is the universe to that dust. You are important. Every tiny particle is important, for none can thrive without the rest. Come to the mountains, Dear Knight.>> Again the couatl makes the request, yet there is no hint of trying to push Hildegarde. Emielle lacks the ability to guilt trip, manipulation, or bully. She knows how to speak what is on her mind, and it is both complex and simple. <>

Hildegarde would probably blush something terribly if Satoshi had many any kinds of remarks about knights sweeping ladies off their feet, it’d probably embarrass her ridiculously! She was a bashful one, after all. Upon arriving in the Queen’s chambers, the knight gently deposits the Queen into her bed and carefully pulls the bed covers up and around Satoshi: loose enough that she may move around, but tucked in to show care and affection. << You are young, yes, but you are wise beyond your years. If a wizard tells you as such, you must believe him,>> she said with certainty. <> she promised, <>

Satoshi is going to be a very confused, but well rested, kit when she wakes up. But for now, she's sound asleep and comfortable. Emielle may relay the entire story later. Or maybe she won't. The couatl is not one for making hasty choices, especially when the story is still being told. To Hildegarde, she says, << You may bring what you wish. It is not my choice to make, where an object is meant to go in its lifetime. When you are ready, you will find me, for you and my brother are true to your words. It is a proper couatl trait.>> There's something of a nod in Emielle's tone. Her voice seems to be growing more distant, however, likely because she's found an updraft among the clouds and is letting it carry her where it chooses, which happens to be further from Frostmaw. Still, Emielle manages to include one final remark before she departs, << When you are ready, Dear Knight, I will show you how vital dust is to the existence of all. >>

Hildegarde would rather Satoshi is well-rested and confused than running on fumes and exhausting herself rapidly. <> she says, << he will only worry and once he begins to worry, he is not one to stop until the issue is resolved.>> The knight looked to Satoshi before leaving the room, <> she said, before tapping a member of the Queensguard on the shoulder. “The Queen has retired to her chambers for the day, she is not to be disturbed. Should you hear any rumours of the Queen refusing to sleep or preparing for war – quash them. Tell them that the Queen has been very active in the rebuilding process of Frostmaw and the safety of the people. Put a man on the door and attend to her requests upon awakening. Have someone man that planning site outside, before more people think it is a waste site.”

Satoshi can say with confidence that Tharn picked right, in naming Hildegarde as his successor. Now if only Emielle can convince the knight that she is as vital as the rest of Frostmaw feels she is... The couatl has a challenge ahead of her. But Emielle is obstinate in her own plodding way.

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RP:Confessions to a Kit'napper

Walled Courtyard