RP:Pride and Patience, Part 2

Summary: Word arrives to Leoxander that Queen Hildegarde is ready to continue with their meeting. This time, the pirate attends alone.

Winter Berry Garden, Frostmaw

Hildegarde enjoyed the solitude of the garden very much. It was a good place to be when the noise of the world became just a bit too much, as it often did. The Silver had left a note for Drargon at the tavern, detailing a simple command: if Leoxander came looking for her, she was to find him here. Here she sat, on her own as she eased her whetstone along the length of her short-sword to keep it sharp and honed. It was a calming notion, truth be told. Repetitive and reassuring. The garden was idyllic, in its own frozen way. The buzzing of the fuzzy snow bees is perhaps the only real noise in the garden.

Leoxander checked in almost daily to the tavern, as promised, forcing Drargon to suffer his presence for those brief visits. At last, that note was passed his way, and once it was folded and tucked away into the back pocket of his pants, he did not hesitate to spare the barkeep his company. As warm blooded as the lycanthrope was, he enjoyed the atmosphere and scenery of that Kingdom far less than it's Queen, arms folded tightly against his chest and the sound of his own boot treads crunching underfoot making him uneasy, for the fact it was difficult to manage stealthy steps on that frozen terrain. He wouldn't be sneaking up on Hildegarde, either way. With his expression a little more annoyed than his usual suspicious but stoic setting and his breath pluming visible heat in front of his face, he approached the Silver and unceremoniously found a seat nearby, but far enough that she had her space. No formal greeting or nonsensical bowing.

Hildegarde waited a moment before greeting Leoxander, completing that final stroke of the whetstone before gently placing it upon the bench. “Leo,” she greeted, turning slightly to offer him a little smile. “I’m sorry that you’ve had to wait. One of my own, Khitti, was injured during an excursion. I had to help,” she would never leave a man behind if she could help it; her people were her priority. “Do you want to sit? We can get to business.” She had a feeling he’d be eager to get down to it rather than hesitate for too long.

Leoxander was obviously pretty predictable when it came to business, as getting right into it was exactly what he intended to do. However, he was 'polite' enough to hear her brief explanation of the situation that had caused her delay. "Don' worry about it. I'm guessin' yer work is never done, especially around here." Invited to take that seat, be it on cold stone or some actual chair, he dropped down into it with his arms still folded to huddle for warmth. The pirate definitely wasn't dressed for that icy weather and practically seemed to steam from the shoulders as his blood competed with the temperature. Instinctively, he glanced across the garden, more so to verify there was no danger or threat than to admire her choice for a meeting place. "Have you considered what I want out'a this?"

Hildegarde scooched along the bench slightly so as to give Leoxander a little more room, should he feel he require it. The Silver did sympathise with him in regards to the temperature, but he seemed to be coping with it right now. “I have. I have some words to add to it,” she told him. “Or, more accurately, I have thought on it and I have assessed my stance on the matter.” She is very quick to add, “Don’t worry. I think it will be of benefit to the both of us. Will you hear me out?”

Leoxander returned his attention appropriately to the queen. He had recognized that he had been fairly demanding and short with her on their previous encounter, and seemed calmer and in possession of a little more patience this time around, despite the time he was made to wait. Fortunately for him, Hildegarde seemed to understand that he just wasn't the type of man to grovel at the feet of royalty, particularly since his half brother had once reigned as a King, in the past. Relaxing, if only slightly on that bench seat, he rested his spine against the back of it (considering there was a back to it) and answered her with a crisp nod. Listening, for now.

Hildegarde smiled once again when he agreed to hear her out. “Good,” she nodded, sheathing her blade as she had only just realised she had been holding the blade across her lap and that might have been a wee tiny bit threatening! Stashing it under her feet, the Silver fixed her posture a little bit and turned in her seat so she might see Leoxander a bit more easily. “You know I want you to keep an eye on Larket. In return, you want me to cover my eye to what you do,” she said, covering the terms of their proposed deal. “Frostmaw will always be my priority. It will always be the place that I protect first. I do not assume to have your loyalty, love or like but I am willing to earn your respect and some trust from you. I will be honest in saying that I will not permit anything that will harm my people,” she tells him. “So if you were to… well, look out for Frostmaw, you would find Frostmaw looking out for you.” A back scratch situation that meant no bad business in her realm, but protection for his lot if they needed it. “I will not tell you how to watch Larket,” she said with a casual wave of her hand, “I’m not a spy after all. I will offer a wage and some benefits. But… as I have said. Frostmaw must be and will be protected.”

Leo had more or less assumed this was the type of answer she would give. Hildegarde was a protector of her people, after all, so there wasn't any measure of surprise in his blue eyes. They did drop briefly to the sword she kept in reach but stashed away, traveling back up toward the Silver's scarred features while considering her words. "Le'me level with you, then. I don't have a box t' piss in let alone any land to protect. An' Larket ain't exactly a safe haven anymore. But maybe there is somethin' you can help me with an' in return... get more than a lone wolf to this 'alliance'..." He sat forward, unfolding his arms to rest them over his knees in a casual and more comfortable slouch. "So Frostmaw stays out'a the shade, remains in it's pretty little glory, unscathed by the likes of ... well, me." Leo knew what he was. She knew what he was. And it was a far cry from noble. "Rynvale, however..." There was a pause as he tried to put his thoughts into words that wouldn't be too unsettling. "Never had much problem keepin' my nose clean while makin' some profit on the side, o'er there. Problem is... I don't got my bloody ship. And I ain't too keen on borrowin' one when I don't know what to expect when we land." He gave her a slight raise of brow as though to question if she was following. "Could be an ideal place to recruit a few, for yer cause or mine."

Hildegarde made a little thoughtfull ‘hm’ at his words. He was in quite the position. “Don’t mince your words here,” she tells him with a smile, “I appreciate honesty and bluntness. As you level with me, I too have levelled with you,” this probably could have been said in a less noble fashion but this was Hilde talk, “are you asking me to provide you with a ship or the funds for a ship?” she asked him outright. That was a serious investment. One that would either pay off and be profitable or would only cause her trouble in the long run. “Rynvale would be a good place to recruit, that’s true. But only if you can assure that no man of yours would break our accord,” accord was sea talk, right? “I have a few men I can spare you,” loyalists no doubt, “but as I have said, I will not lord over you nor will I tell you how to do your job.”

Leoxander wondered what would be the better payout. Eternity was still out there, somewhere, though possible in pieces or a home for Seaborn, by then. He answered the last inquiry, first. "I can keep handle on a crew, no doubt. We wouldn't have much reason to be here, especially with the friends yer fellow sword swingers have been makin'." He referenced the battle he had involuntarily taken part in on a visit to Frostmaw a while back. "It'll be a lot easier to keep yer watch on Larket if I got a few extra eyes and hands. An' no offense to you, yer majesty..." His hands raised in defense to amplify that statement. "But while I wouldn't reject some labor if it comes to buildin' my boat, I'd rather leave the watch-and-don't-be-seen to a few trained in the skill set. Yer frost giants lack a certain ... subtlety when it comes to goin' unnoticed." But back to the matter of payment. "I don't have an answer for you, yet, but I'm gonna go ahead as trust that if I do what you need me to do, you'll at least back me up when it comes time for me to get across the waters. Or... scratch my back, or whatever you wanna call it. It's due to happen soon."

Hildegarde nodded her head at his words. “I won’t bloody my sword for you,” she tells him outright, “but I’ll help you if I am able to.” The Silver extended her hand for him to shake. “Shall we shake on it, then?” Should Leo shake on the deal, Hildegarde would offer him a smile; obviously glad that they had managed to conclude their business and in such a better way than their discussion had began! It was much more relaxed this time around. “It may sound silly to you or you may dismiss it, but I mean it when I say I will strive to earn your trust and your respect.” The Queen didn’t need the respect of the scoundrel, but the woman needed to earn the respect of the man who was agreeing to help her.

Leoxander extended a hand that managed to stay warm, perhaps even felt through the metal of a gauntlet if she wore one. A firm grip forged their agreement and the start of a prospective and quiet alliance. He didn't seem very capable of a smile to return, but his expression was less aggravated than when he had arrived. "So be it. If I send anyone other than myself to pass along a message, you have my word it'll be for just that. I don't expect your sword and you shouldn't expect trouble." How reliable was the word of a rogue? It seemed the Silver would soon find out. Another nod expressed... not gratitude, but acceptance of her words of respect, indicating he didn't dismiss what she had to say at all. Maybe a Queen didn't need a scoundrel, but it couldn't hurt for a scoundrel to have the support of a Queen.

As it seemed that their business was concluded, Leo stood up from the bench, intending to leave without much of a farewell.