RP:Investigating Old Contracts
Synopsis: At the request of Aarika, Eirik seeks out Queen Hildegarde to ask about the contract she had obtained with the Steel Collective. The Matron believes there is need to question some rumors and it turns out she was right!
Investigating Old Contracts
Eirik takes up a steady stride as he enters the walled courtyard unencumbered by arms and armor. Nay for instead the berserker lies draped in nothing more than a white and beige lined tunic, made from textured cotton. Matching beige pants give way to a pair of awfully plan boots, while a simple leather belt wraps around his tunic at his waist line. As per usual there is a mound of furs sitting atop his shoulders; colors matching those metallic looking orbs of his. Sights flick from on random guard to another - looking towards their posts and positions. This place always seemed well defended. The recent Frostmaw pledge is still growing accustomed to the world before him. However, he is settling in nicely. Hildegarde the Queen, shoots trough his mind once more, reminding him of the task. He had hoped to find her within the fort somewhere.
Hildegarde was certainly within the confines of the fort but she was swiftly exiting them, as she and two rather large burly human men came bursting out of the fort doors. The familiar clanging of steel-on-steel rings throughout the courtyard but the giants who act as the guards of the fort seem to do nothing at all; seemingly not bothered by the possible attack upon their Queen. A sword in the hand of one man, an axe for the other man as they face off against Hildegarde and her halberd. The axe swings down hard and Hildegarde raises her halberd up to block the weapon, but this is the man’s intention: to catch the shaft of the halberd in the crook of his axehead and then contort her weapon as he sees fit! Fortunately, Hildegarde is a trained warrior. Hildegarde has faced many foes before and outlived them. Rather than twist or twirl her halberd to escape the weapon, she instead does something odd. Raising her arms up with a grunt to indicate the amount of force she was presently exerting, the Warrior Queen’s movement forces the arm of the opponent to jerk up and his body to jerk forward unexpectedly. The Silver swings the horizontally positioned halberd down, whacking it hard against the head of the axe-wielding man before tilting her body to the side and narrowly missing the piercing of an incoming sword. A ‘swish’ and the blade had only just kissed her skin. As if she were dancing along the length of the blade, Hildegarde twirls gracefully: puling the halberd in tight against her chest before allowing it to flow into only one hand as her arms swings out swiftly to let the halberd swing with her momentum and crack against her opponent’s back and send him sprawling onto his front. “Good fight, boys!” Eirik is yet to be acknowledged.
Eirik found himself stopped off to the side, chatting with one of the familiar faces he had found here. One of Frostmaws guards. In fact, he is the very same watchmen who helped him find Raphaline sometime back before they ventured off to Venturil. Attention however, is jerked towards the ongoing scuffle. The guards weren’t interfering why should he? Perhaps its something that had been planned by the Queen herself. A grin working over his features whilst he walks towards her. “Well done yourself,” exclaims to the silver. The Northman realized that she didn’t have many civilian sparring partners and probably had to pull from the best of her guardsman or pay others. He remembered Emriths reaction to the fight he once had with her. “I’m not interrupting am I?” The words he would use to indicate there was something official to discuss. “I represent a group you might know. Whether you still hold favor towards them or not, but that is why I have been sent.” He would then point to the golden earring he wore, “The Steel Collective. Aarika has asked that I investigate and old contract and some issues which might have come up in an attempt to resolve them.”
Hildegarde takes a moment to assist both warriors up to their feet and send them off on their way to recover from their spar. It was always important to stay sharp. The Silver turned to offer Eirik a smile, gesturing a nearby bench. “Not at all,” she assured him, taking a seat upon the bench and settling her halberd over her lap in a resting position. “The Steel Collective,” she repeated, remembering the company. When he mentions that Aarika has sent him, her fiery brow moves ever so slightly. “Did she now? Well. Ask away.”
Eirik would be sure to give his Queen space to breathe and informally chat with him; hating such trivial affairs himself. “She did,” he states with a sigh. The lycan much preferred to keep things short and simple. “I’m told the original contract was to help patrol Frostmaw during a rebuilding process. Obviously, this is before my time with the clan so I haven’t heard much of it. What happened? How did they do? What members, if you happen to know, were involved in seeing the contract completed?” He hoped she would just be frank with him even though he is just throwing questions at her left and right. The berserker would settle again, silver hues taking note of her posture as they spoke. Hopefully he could get the information needed to help Aarika close this matter. From how she had spoken about it, the collective seemed to have failed Hildegarde in one way or another.
Hildegarde makes a little ‘hm’ as Eirik confirms that Aarika had sent him. Why did she not come herself? It is evident that this little issue does not sit too well with the knight. A warrior would want to meet a fellow warrior on the field, not their squire. Not that this was that situation, of course, but one could easily gather the meaning. As Eirik asks his questions, Hildegarde offers a little grunt in response before delving into a deeper explanation. “I hired the Steel Collective to help me restore law and order to Frostmaw in the wake of the civil war. I needed the extra men to help me oust the xenophobic giants who would not obey my rule and I needed the extra men to insure the safety of the gates throughout the rebuilding process.” Reason for hiring, check. “I met with members of the Steel Collective, Aarika included. The dwarf,” Grizelda, the name slipped her mind, “belched and rolled around like a drunkard. Laughing and cavorting with her associates,” clearly, not a very professional outlook and a very condemning action for a Queen who needed to protect her people and needed competency. “The thug, Blut? He is very lucky that I have enough honour and patience to not take his head from his shoulders,” she tells Eirik and her voice is terse as she tells him. It is clear that Hildegarde has exerted every patient cell in her body to keep herself from killing the whelp. “I have not faced such disrespect nor incompetence in my life. I had commanded that no law breaker be killed, lest it was absolutely necessary. I understand how a fight can go, I understand that it is sometimes kill or be killed. But I will not spill needless blood. This Blut, however, attacked lawbreakers and civilians alike; he intimidated people left and right and flaunted my rule like an insolent child.” It’s clear that the recollection alone is irritating the Warrior Queen. “Beyond a few patrols and this behaviour, I cannot say much else. The Steel Collective was very much a force unto itself.”
Eirik is taken back by the announcement of such behavior. Of such inconsiderate actions against a clients specific demands. Killing innocents under a no kill order? Blut you fool. Eirik had known something was off about the shadow dancing masked man. However, he couldn’t put his finger on it to save his life. Until this moment. Now he understood why Aarika had sent him to investigate to find out if Blut had been involved. There was a personal issue with the man himself which needed to be dealt with beyond just this clan issue. The news of Grizelda brings a knowing eye roll and a huff of reaction. Eirik was severely disappointed with their actions. “Well, now I understand why she considered this of import.” Silver eyes flick away from Hildegardes form while he thinks for a moment. “I also agree with your irritation. There is a lot indeed to be accounted for. I appreciate your feedback, my Queen.” A nod is given to her out of respect. “I would like to formally apologize on behalf of the Clan. I also understand that such matters are usually dealt with between those which the bargain had been struck. Regrettably, Aarika has been injured in a recent match. She stays within the barracks, overseeing her wounds and our new recruits.” This is part of his explanation. “I offered to go in her stead because of my status as a citizen here, under your rule. She has told me that if Blut was involved to inform you, that he will be dealt with under proper means. Clearly he has broken our rules as a united clan. He will be hence forth kicked from our shield brothers.” He wasn’t even sure where to start on the healing path, but he would do everything he could. “As for Grizelda, she is rather disgusting at times. I will be sure to report this to Aarika as well. New rules are being enforced, and the collective is working on fixing its image. I was wondering perhaps, if there was some work which needed to be done. I will personally take full responsibility over any workers here. As a citizen you may punish me in any way you see fit if they step out of line. Free of charge, and they will not work without my presence.” He hoped that she would give them something small, something to start with to work on rebuilding a lost relationship.
Hildegarde was not sure whether or not she would be happy to take on The Steel Collective once again. They had proved to be a rather disappointing venture and further enforced the belief that sellswords were not up to par with a trained knight. At least when it came to decency and respect. “While I am in a position that I cannot comfortably reject the assistance, I am not happy with it. I find The Steel Collective to be lacking. I do not have faith nor trust in them and I presently would not recommend them to another.” The Silver took a moment before uncomfortably speaking, “I am… I am oddly powerful and wealthy, Eirik. It is not a position I am comfortable with nor familiar with. I have money to spare. I can hire sellswords. But I simply do not trust or like the Steel Collective.”
Eirik nods to Hilde, knowing that her reasoning is sound. “I cannot blame you,” he adds with an unsatisfied smile. “Again I appreciate your honesty. We will continue to work on the reputation which has been torn asunder by a few individuals. A lack of discipline, inner structure, enforcement of rules and quality assessment of individuals within has been previously lacking. So instead of standing before you telling you how things have changed. We will show you, with our actions. I don’t like wordy responses. I’m sure you know this from Lionel. I will let you decide on our nature. Blut will stand trial for his actions.” A bow is given to the Queen, “Thank you for your time.” Eirik would then turn on heel with all the information needed. Aarika would be angry over what he had just learned. He of course would wait for any response from Hildegarde before making his exit.