RP:Reinhardt Meets a Majestic Creature

Part of the Larketian Fault Lines Arc

Summary: Reinhardt meets Queen Josleen personally for the first time. The new Queen is quite impressed with the young night. It helps that he thinks Gigi is a majestic creature (fact).

Knight’s Training Yard, Fort Freedom

Josleen has spent the morning and afternoon taking stock of damage to the fort’s domestic and medical inventory. So much to repair or replace. However her work is frequently interrupted by fort residents who look to the King and Queen in dark times for emotional fortitude. She stops to chat briefly with near strangers. Her celebrity status, conferred to her by the popular King, works as a short-term balm to the soul. A Queen is normal, traditional, a reminder that the past continues into the future and all will be well. Josleen hasn’t seen her husband since breakfast and needs him now, just to check in and ask some questions. He often trains around this hour, though she doubts he’d be training today. Still, he may be here anyhow. Gigi, who some in the fort refer to as Prince Pooch, heralds the Queen’s arrival. He still wears the formal sky blue bowtie he donned for the wedding the night before. The pampered poodle walks with a bootylicious trot. He’s male, as confusing as that has been for Macon. Gigi enters the yard first, eagerly sniffing at his soldier friends. Gigi is a regularly companion of the King during his post-combat-training runs. Some of the soldiers also run with the king, if they trained with him, and Gigi has made their acquaintance. He runs up to Reinhardt, picking up a stick on the way, and forces it into the soldier’s hand. {Fetch! Now! Come on!} The poodle runs ahead, sees no stick overhead, runs back, barks once. {NOW!} Josleen scans the soldiers for her husband, disinterested in her dog’s antics for the moment.

Reinhardt has been up all night, as have many other, in a state of damage control. The wedding, as splendid as it was, had gathered many into one central location that just so happened to be where the earthquake had struck. Chaos was the result, and it fell to Larket's finest to stem off the tides of the unknown in their King and Queen's time of need. And they did just that. While the senior knights were tasked with dealing with any possible looters, ruffians or attacks (given the guest list) Reinhardt and co. set about repairing what they could, as well as getting people to safety. Hours upon hours them men work, relentless in this task as they are in training. But as the day draws near to its close, they have taken a short break and begun to spar among each other to pass the time and let off some steam. It is just as the young and promising knight parries a deft blow from a comrade, disarming him swiftly before dropping him to the ground in a smooth and calculated motion, that the royal pup arrives with his stick. A warm smile breaks upon the knight's face, as he leans down to retrieve the stick per order of the pup, only to have his eyes catch sight of the newly crowned Queen Josleen. "Men! Attention!" He proclaims in a voice that seems to be made for bellowing commands meant to be followed. The knights, numbering some twelves total, stop what they are doing and offer forth the proper salute to their King's beloved. Gigi's impatience with the knight only grows, but the young man stands firm, holding his salute until the Queen deems it’s time for them to stop. Such is the way things are, and so they shall be.

Josleen smiles at the men and nods in recognition of their salute, the gesture putting them at ease. It’s part of the ritual, and one she can quickly get used to. Has. Once the men resume their sparring, or whatever it is they were doing if not that, she approaches Reinhardt who seems to be in charge of this group. “Do you know where--” She is cut off by the Prince Pooch who paws relentlessly at Reinhardt’s feet and whines. Sure, Josleen may be the queen, but he’s the -prince!- Josleen lifts a brow playfully at her obnoxious pooch, canting her head to the side and shaking it as if reprimanding a baby for something silly. This is her baby, for now, until her yearning for a real child is satisfied. “Gigi!” she coos in an almost-baby voice. She looks back up to the young warrior, who physically is taller than her. Speaking in her normal voice, she says “You should probably throw the stick. He won’t give up.” Indeed, Gigi has picked the stick back up and is tapping it against Reinhardt’s calf.

Reinhardt watches out the corner of his eye as his men go back to whatever they were doing, mainly because they are dirty, sweat covered and been up all night. Knights or not, a beautiful woman can bring out the crudest of behaviors in men, especially soldiers. But, it seems training and discipline remain among Larket's elite, and Reinhardt is able to fully focus on the Queen who stands before him. Again, a warm and charming smile spreads across the young man's face. At twenty-four years of age, standing six foot three inches and with a body built from years of training to reach the station he now has, he almost towers over the woman, but he manages to make it not seem as such. "Yes, m'lady, as you wish." Of course, he'd have tossed the stick anyways, he loves animals, but when royalty are present, it is as they asked, and nothing more. The stick is tossed carefully to avoid any of the damaged areas that may cause the dog harm, but far away enough to allow the majestic animal to stretch his legs. Turning back to Josleen, he reports, as is expected. "I've had the men of second rank and lower out all knight working and repairs and tending to any remaining guests, as well as civilians, m'lady. We just were taking a bit of a break for now, to let off some steam, but I can have them right back at it, if you so wish it." There was still work to be done, and the Queen was new. No one knows is she is stern, relaxed or a wrath like hell have no. Reinhardt would fully accept any lashings, either physically or verbally, for allowing for this leisure time. Such was the price he pays for assuming leadership.

Josleen shakes her head and shrugs at the knight’s declaration that he men can go back to work immediately. “That’s not necessary. I trust the work will be seen to as quickly as is appropriate.” There’s something rehearsed about her behavior, not least of which because she’s a bard and actress by training. She’s also a woman aware of her station and the effect she has on others. Is she relaxed or stern? It’s hard to say. She’s poised, and closed off to all but those she’s let in. Still, there’s a little spark in her eyes. She’s a new bride and queen, and no earthquake can rob her of that joy entirely. “Second rank?” She asks as Gigi returns the stick, drops it in front of Reinhardt, and stares at it expectantly, tail wagging. Josleen waves a hand towards Gigi as if to say, ‘Do as you must’. Meaning, throw the stick. “I thought I saw your face among the kingsguard at the wedding. Am I confusing you with someone?”

Reinhardt listens intently, because that is how he is, not only because it is to be expected. First, Gigi is appeased with another calculated throw of that stick, before the knight turns back to face the Queen and reply. " I was, m'lady. I filled in for a senior knight who was out on patrol. We've three ranks of knights, third class being the new initiates, second rank being those who make up the bulk of the body of the knighthood, and first class who are the Kingsguard and the leadership of the brotherhood. As a senior second rank, I am to be ready to fill in for any of the other knights, should they be detained, as well as take charge of lesser ranks should tasks such as this arise." He speaks in a manner to educate her, but not insult her for not knowing. He knows, as well as she does, that she is new to all of this in Larket. She seems far from a dull woman, as can be seen in hers eyes that seem to absorb everything for later use. He just hopes she sees an ally in him, and not an obstacle or tool to be used. But, knights live to serve, and if serve as a tool for her advancement he must, such is he sworn to do. " If I may, your highness, you looked absolutely stunning last night. I am sorry such an event happened on your big day, but know all of Larket welcomes you as its new Lady, and Queen, and we are here for you if ever needed." A humble bow follows, to emphasize the compliment and respect.

Josleen isn’t insulted in the slightest and listens attentively. She has always been curious, about everything and anything. When Reinhardt flatters her, she is not above smiling with pride and thanking him. Being complimented by young hunks? Never gets old. She’ll never turn it down, but she doesn’t reciprocate or flirt. “Thank you for saying that. It’s a tragedy. So much loss of life… I hope in rebuilding Larket I can prove that I am dedicated to its people.” Gigi returns the stick, waits for it to be thrown, chases after it. {I can do this all day, guy. Hope you love chase-stick, guy. WAIT HOLD UP IS THAT POOP?!} Gigi abandons the stick in favor of sniffing mystery poop, cleverly hidden beneath dry leaves but not clever enough to outsmart Gigi. {A cat! And fresh, too.} He follows the scent. {What a day!} The Queen appreciates that this young man doesn’t seem afraid of her, nor is he rude. Many in the Kingsguard treat her at arm’s length, perhaps afraid of overstepping and angering the king. It’s refreshing to be treated with both respect and familiarity. She has the authority, but she isn’t a terror. “What’s your name?”

Reinhardt rises from the bow to watch as Prince Gigi wanders off to defend the kingdom from the vile tyranny of a treacherous cat, much appreciated by the knight who is far too busy with trivial matters such as rebuilding. With that aside, the knight returns his attention fully to Queen Josleen, and says. " Reinhardt Devereux, m'lady. Knight second class." The Devereux family is a prominent noble family of some repute, but not top tier, but not bottom tier. A Larket staple family, as it were, with a history of loyalty to the crown(s), and honorable military service in many forms. " I hope to be a valuable servant of my King, and now his Queen, in the rebuilding, and protection, of our great kingdom." And he means every word.

Josleen vaguely recalls hearing the Devereux name and thus knows to make the ‘ah’ face. Granted, she has no recollection of who the Devereuxs are, simply that she met them at the wedding (who didn’t she meet?), but that doesn’t matter right now. This is one of them. She’ll look into the family and undoubtedly conclude that the Devereux boy should be promoted. Also helpful: the sizable wedding gift they lavished upon the King and Queen. Look, she is not above a little cronyism, though she’d never call it that. ‘In these trying times, one needs to keep one’s allies closer,’ is the Josleen phrasing of choice. She says, “I have no doubt you’ll be an asset to the crown and city. I should go find the King. It was a pleasure meeting you.” And just like that, with one simple meeting with a young queen, the young man’s fate, without him even knowing it, will change. “Gigi!” she calls. He doesn’t come. She calls with a two-tone whistle, and finally he obeys.

Reinhardt sees that his time with the Queen is over, and thus calls his men back to salute as she departs. They all fall in line, some even smile as Gigi marches through as if its -all- for him. Either way, the knight is proud to say he met the Queen, and it inspires him to get his men back to work as soon as she departs. She may even hear him shout out. " Alright! Enough googling the Queen! Back to work! Larket needs to be as beautiful as our Lady, and its up to us! Lets go!" The men shout their praises, some even saying they doubt this old city could ever be as gorgeous as the Queen. Reinhardt lets it be, so long as they work productively for the rest of the day.