RP:Every Eyrie has a Silver Lining
Frostmaw Tavern
Satoshi occupies her usual armchair near the central firepit, her small form threatening to be swallowed by the oversized bulk of the cushioned furniture as she stares blankly at a bottle in her hand. Little of the contents seem to be missing from the bottle, an unusual sight for anyone that is familiar with Satoshi, for blood wine has always been a vice of hers and a bottle never left full for long. But the drink does nothing to satisfy her today. The flavor is bitter on her tongue, the feeling empty, no longer does it entice the vampiric bloodlust ever lurking beneath the surface. Even attempting to feed off a living being has failed the foxkin. Satoshi shudders slightly at the memory. That had been messy business. Poor soul had been hunted down, throat ripped open, gushing blood eagerly latched onto... and, while she admittedly enjoyed the violence and mauling, there had been none of that usual sating of hunger afterwards. In fact, there'd been no hunger to sate. Not since she'd devoured the essence of the Ruins King, come to think of it. Pensive at this thought, Satoshi balances the bottle between chair arm and fingertip to let it rotate and twist in precarious patterns.
Hildegarde had ventured to the frozen north in search of the Queen, well aware that she'd mostly likely find her here. Her armour clanked and clinked with each step, butt of her halberd sinking into the snow and causing this little line to follow beside her footsteps. The silver found herself at the tavern, perhaps out of boredom from her failing quest or perhaps she just needed a little rest. After all, walking around in heavy armour all day could be quite draining, even for the knight-errant. Hilde pushed the door open and was greeted with the warmth of the building, even though it was quite cold in comparison to other taverns. It felt a bit more welcoming than the outside! She looked around, as one always does, but spotted the very woman she was searching for! "Hail, m'lady!" she called, halberd raised upwards in a sort of respectful salute.
Satoshi looks up to find Hildegarde saluting her from the doorway. The knight is given a small as Satoshi lifts her hand to return the greeting, a dustfall of snow trailing from her fingers with the motion before they're returned to the bottle she's left balanced dangerously on the chair. "Hullo, Mithril. I received your note. I was intending to reply later this afternoon, but it seems you've saved me ink and paper." While her tone is amiable and welcoming, there is a distant lilt to it, as if Satoshi is only half-aware she's speaking. Even the smile she offers Hildegarde is the ghost of an expression. Everything about the kit seems withdrawn, introspective, like she's been enshrouded in a veil separating her from the rest of the world.
Hildegarde 's eyes drifted to the bottle, watching as it balanced in such a precarious position. She offered a smile though, "Oh, that's fortunate then, m'lady. I would not wish to waste your time or parchment." Certainly, she had only met and spoken to Satoshi once but this was a drastic difference from that last meeting. Hilde's head tilted slightly, "Is all well, m'lady? If you wish, I can return at a later date or perhaps resolve whatever it is that ails you?" Such a knightly mentality, if it was illness she would Satoshi to recover peacefully and if it was a problem that could be dealt with, her halberd would sort it out.
Satoshi shakes her head, lifting her hand to still the knight from leaving--and thus upending the bottle in her lap. Eyes flick down to quietly contemplate the puddle of red wine running in rivulets across her coat, her expression neither surprised nor annoyed. Satoshi sighs and waves her hand, the gesture dismissive, to send the liquid flowing into the firepit with a speck of stain remaining behind. And all done without a word spoken to enact the magic. The magus doesn't seem to have noticed the unconscious spell, having turned her attention back to Hildegarde with a lopsided smile. "Non, non, you don't have to leave, all is well. You've simply caught me momentarily buried in thoughts. Please," the same hand that had been the culprit of the spilling, and remover of wine, now is used to indicate a nearby chair in invitation for the knight to sit. "What is it you wished to speak to moi about?"
Hildegarde 's foot almost surged forth, as if she could somehow stop the bottle from spilling. Of course, she couldn't have stopped it if she tried but she felt responsible for causing it. Her fingers reached up to clasp her earlobe, rubbing the skin and tugging it gently in guilt-warped thought. Her skin seemed to become a bit silvery, perhaps a few scales visible in her embarrassment. "I see, m'lady," she mumbled before sitting in the offered chair. "Oh, yes... Madigan, who I believe you know, has sent me to chat with you about, ah, this Eerie? Eyrie?"
Satoshi rolls the now empty bottle atop the chair's arm with the clawed end of a finger, seeming to take some sort of interest in the way the dark green glass catches the firelight. This doesn't mean she's ignoring Hildegarde. Far from it, as she looks up with the first real spark of emotion at the mention of Madigan and the Eyrie. "I know Madigan, aye, a wonderful little treeling. She told you about the Eyrie, did she? I'm the deputy commander of it, partnered to the couatl Emiur, so I can tell you anything you'd like to know."
Hildegarde smiled and even nodded with agreement, "Aye, that the lady is, good guardian for the little hatchling too." A little pause as her fingers clamped around her earlobe again, wondering how exactly to word the next part of it. "She told me of it, aye, said she thought I'd be perfect for it. But I, ah, I don't really know. I've been asked to join all kinds of things, heard whispers of evil in the land. I seek only to fulfil my oath, m'lady."
Satoshi arches a brow at Hildegarde. "You've heard only whispers? Those flashes of purple lightning prancing about the sky are more than whispers, I assure you. If you're set against evil, Mithril, you're in the right place. Frostmaw, Rynvale, and Larket stand firmly against the Time Leech and his foul 'Empire', built on lies, treachery, and manipulation." Satoshi voice becomes almost heated as she speaks. Clearly, the Leech is enough to ignite emotion despite her current apathetic state of mind. "Through Frostmaw, the Eyrie also opposes him. We are an aerial force, allied with the various winged beings on the land, from dragons, gryphons, and simurgh, to wyverns and peryton, to strike out at our foes from the skies."
Hildegarde dipped her head respectfully and gave a quiet retort, "I apologise, m'lady, the brood has taken up much of my attention. Hatchlings requiring care so I had little opportunity to gain fresh news." But she was intrigued by the information given, if not a little bit uncertain. Her gloves creaked slightly as her fingers flexed around the halberd shaft again, "Well, m'lady, I am not often in my, ah, natural form. I am one with my halberd, this extension of my arm. We dragons... We are a proud people. Would I... Would I be a 'mount' for someone..?" she was obviously not quite certain if that was how things would operate, given that she was a saurian. She was curious though, hungry to learn.
Satoshi continues to roll the bottle back and forth, the repetitive motion helping her sort her thoughts and cool her emotions. In time, she replies, words quiet but clear, "You would not be a mount unless you wished to partner with a humanoid and allow them such rights. All who work in the Eyrie do so by choice. Most of the sentient dragonkin among our numbers find a companion and agree to fly with them, as it is often mutually beneficial. A person without wings is able to take to the skies, and a dragon with many blindspots and potentially limited aerial movement, has someone that can defend them from enemies on all sides. But it is still by choice. We form lifelong partnerships, swearing to protect our teammate to the best of our abilities, and never treat one another like master and slave." The last word is spit out with an almost venomous tone, Satoshi clearly having a hatred for slavery.
Hildegarde listened intently to the woman, obviously intrigued as to what she had to say about the whole situation. "I see," she at long last said, "that seems a fair enough agreement." Hilde offered the woman a smile, before thinking of any other questions she had to ask. "In your opinion... Would I be of good stock to you and your crew, m'lady?" a small pause, "I do not wish to weaken the brood."
Satoshi said to Hildegarde, "The Eyrie is a home to those without, it has a place for any being. Even those unable to fly can find a way to be of benefit to the Eyrie. I have no doubt one of your bloodline and steadfast occupation would be a priceless addition." Admittedly, Silvers and Golds are rare in the Eyrie, often being dragons with too much pride to throw their lot in with others, but that doesn't mean Satoshi is against such powerful creatures joining, if interested. She's simply used to the more war-hungry types such as Reds and Blacks seeking her out, especially with the promise of gold and jewels for their hoard, should they do their jobs well. "No, I do not think you would weaken the brood. Strengthen, more like."
Hildegarde was a very proud creature, it was quite the weakness in this silver. Her brood was terribly proud and self-assured, confident in their abilities. But her mother was rather humble, out of them all. "I would hope only to strengthen the cause, m'lady. I am sure you must know of the pride of dragonkind... Were I to become someone's 'assistant', then I would certainly need to be sure they are worthy of such." She frowned, realising how self-assured and arrogant that had sounded! "I mean... Well, ah... M'lady, what I meant was that.. um..."
Satoshi's nod is an understanding one. "What you mean is, if you are to find a partner you will defend in earnest, they in turn need to be able to defend you as thoroughly. Worthy partners, or such a teaming is useless. I wouldn't expect anything less."
Hildegarde smiled, nodding eagerly, "Yes, m'lady, that." Her fingers flexed around the halberd once again, as if to make sure it would stay well within her grasp. "So, you think I will strengthen your brood? If this is the case, m'lady, then I am more than willing to include your crew in my oath."
Satoshi, with a final push of her claw, sends the bottle rolling off the chair and into the firepit. In little time the heat causes the glass to rupture, littering the logs with crystalline shards ripe for the eating by the young fire wyrm Drargon keeps in hidden in there. Once the fiery hatchling wakes up later, it will undoubtedly gorge itself on glass and ember before falling back to sleep and using the food supply to further maintain the tavern's fire. But these thoughts are pushed aside as Satoshi returns her attention to Hildegarde, smiling faintly. "Then the Eyrie welcomes you, Mithril. The Outpost in Frostmaw will see to any needs you require, if you simply call upon them."
Hildegarde watched as the bottle rolled into the fire, engulfed by the flames and ruptured. But her attention shifted back to Satoshi and the small welcome, "Thank you, m'lady. Do you require me to do anything on behalf of your crew? I am sworn to the service of it, by law of my oath. I will do whatever it is you require of me."
Satoshi said to Hildegarde, "At present? Fight on, Mithril. Your mission against evils in this realm currently coincide with our own goals, so to carry on, you're doing work for the Eyrie in turn. If you hear anything of value concerning the Leech or his minions, I would be happy to receive it, no matter how minor you think it might be. I would suggest perhaps seeking out Kelovath in Larket as well, or lord Jerralith. They are the leaders of our allies, it would be prudent to meet them, and you may find others among them to help your own cause."
Hildegarde said to Satoshi, "Yes, m'lady. In terms of a co-worker, what should I do about that?"
Satoshi looks away from fire-gazing to glance at Hildegarde, a smile offered. "I would not worry about it. If there is someone out there worthy of you, you will cross paths with them. It is not a matter I'd recommend forcing. I would not wish to see you partnered with someone ill-fit for you, out of some conceived need to being working alongside somebody, tu sais?"
Hildegarde smiled and offered a dip of her head, "Ahh, you are most wise, m'lady." She gripped her halberd, forcing herself up onto her feet. The rest had been nice, she wouldn't lie. "Thank you, m'lady, for your time. I am honoured to offer what assistance I can to you and your brood. I hope I make a fine addition and can bring pride and honour through my actions."
Satoshi nods in return to the saurian knight. "We're honored to have you as well, Mithril. Happy hunting."
Hildegarde offered a small raise of her halberd, "Honour and strength, m'lady." That said, she wandered off back into the frozen north.