RP:Reviving the Bridge

Part of the Rise of Larket Arc

Summary: Chisel returns to Larket having missed the battle between Frostmaw and The Hard City. She finds the bridge between Larket and Sage severely damaged and meets The King of Larket for the first time. The Forest Spirit then finds a way to avoid paying her taxes.

Larket: Elegant Bridge

Macon and his broken leg, which is in a splint and healing as fast as the best Larketian healers and physicians can make it, have made it out to the bridge repair site. The Furious King is outside of his armor, the stuff much too cumbersome with his injuries, and wears the marble crown of Larket atop his head. He is accompanied by only a pair of unnamed Kingsguard in armor, perhaps his security measures becoming more lenient with the onset of peacetime. His reception in the city is more mixed than usual, some not particularly liking the terms of the Peace Treaty with Frostmaw. Macon arrives at the Larket end of the ravaged bridge to find the progress much like he left it the previous evening. A temporary fix is up that allows single file crossing between Sage and The Hard City. He speaks to one of the men toiling on the repairs idly and gathers some information on the ETR that he could have much easier obtained from the comfort of his desk chair in Fort Freedom. The ‘victorious’ King just likes to be out in public, it seems.

Chisel :: It has been days, she was away from the city not because of the war, she has her own agendas to bother with, although the corpses would've been good for the soil as fertilizer but still. Something happened that day, it took her a week to recover, her new hand felt... different and yet real at the same time. Happens when one is used to having a wooden arm for so long. As Esche destroyed her arm, she had to create a new one out of her new found powers. Terrifying sight it was when she was practicing it, the forest were filled with arms, all created from plant life, vines and other flora mimicking muscles and flesh only to be torn away if it was a mistake. Soon enough crafting a proper one for her but it was still lighter than the one she had before. After that she went to gather her children in the forest, left hanging there when her bout with Lionel ended. Ofcourse she won't leave her little ones behind, it was time to go home. When she found herself at the bridge, she frowns as there was a sizable about of 'bridge' lacking. She waits for her turn and crosses it, unsure what is going on.

Macon is aware of Chisel’s existence as a Larketian resident and as one who assisted in exterminating Kelovath’s* mad fermin, he's just never come face to face with her before somehow in all his years in The Hard City. Everyday Larket guardsmen and the pair of Kingsguard alike greet the plant woman as she crosses. The King of Larket is using his Rage Axe as a sort of crutch to help him drag his broken leg around the city. He too lifts the hand on the arm cradling the weapon to kind of wave towards her. He wonders how much those outside of Larket have heard about the battle and peace agreement, but doesn't know Chisel well enough, (or at all,) to ask her outright. Instead he goes back to listening to the explanation of the work needed to be done for repairs and upgrades to the bridge. (Larketian Stone all the way across. It does not burn.)

Chisel isn't exactly welcome in the city. The previous leadership thought she is too dangerous to live amongst the city inhabitants. Understandable but now it is different, she hasn't transformed in days, thanks to the lantern that is strapped in her hip. She feels revitalized even. However, she was able to sneak into the city before because the bridge is so large that it would be impossible for the guards to check on everyone who is crossing. But ofcourse, now there is only a small path, spotting her right away. As the guards came close, she took a step backward and said, "Actually I'll leave." ofcourse she doesn't want to become an enemy of this city, especially that her home is within that garden west of here, inside the city walls. She bites her lower lip unsure how to proceed. (Well the stone won't burn but its like using flameable substance to hold it together)

Macon is new leadership and, perhaps foolishly, believes his people are hard enough to withstand Chisel in their city. The King waves off the guards that the tree seems to be concerned about, once again looking away from the worker speaking with him. “No need.” The Rage Knight assures her, “They will not keep you from entering the city. Please. Come.” He shifts his weight against the Rage Axe and beckons her closer, “‘Ave you ‘eard of what happened here?” His hospitality giving him the opening he wanted to grill Chisel on what someone who has been outside of Larket knows about the battle and the rest of the very recent developments.

Chisel reluctantly moves forward till she finally finds herself near him. Her pack is filled with dolls and plant life in case the guards would check. She bites her lower lip and rubs her arm alittle as she listens to him. "Well.. I am a forest spirit, We are typically unconcerned with regards to what you mortals do with your lives, however you wish to push the boundaries of your territories or whatever illogical reasons you have to perform your actions." She is being honest. The man has a hat, might not be best to lie. It would be a chore to kill her anyway so she doubts changing her tone would make it any better. "There has been a war in front of the city, that's all that I am aware of, the forest got scarred alittle but I was not available when it called for my help." biting her lower lip a bit, feeling a bit guilty for that part. "I know your people did not cause its destruction deliberately, nor did your invaders. However, as mortals in general, we spirits should've retaliated but saner minds have stopped me from doing so and merely leaves a warning for all." she unhooks her lantern, covered with a piece of cloth and placed it before them, removing the cover showing the glowing orb within. "I was dealing with this artifact while I was away. Because of this object I failed to protect the forest, it was horrible for me but lucky for you and your enemies."

Macon nods several times while listening to Chisel, making sure not to give his neck too much range of motion should that impractical stone crown come sliding off of his head. He hasn't, in his relatively short time as King, tried to expand his territory, but, greedy as he is for the good of Larket, won't promise that he never will make such an attempt. There is a certain charm to those who can speak so bluntly and honestly to a king, and it is one that he can appreciate. He would much prefer this treatment than to be lied to. Another nod confirms the fact that there was a battle at the bridge and outside of the city. He provides the forest spirit with some information that she appears not to have. Perhaps she doesn't care to have it, but he gives it anyway, “It might please you to know tha’ there will be no more fighting between the two kingdoms. I ‘ave negotiated peace with The Dragon Queen jus’ yesterday.” Macon’s slate stare narrows curiously at the lantern and the magic contained within. He doesn't quite understand how such a thing might have kept Chisel from protecting the forest, but nods sagely at the object anyway, pretending to get it.

Chisel simply nodded, she is sure there is a ton of effort to be had to create peace between the two cities but its not that she cares for such. "And here I am thinking you would try to conscript me into your army. I do not have that kind of solid reason to do so. You are all mortals in my eyes." She turns to the lantern and placed it back on her hip. "I thought I would be banished from this city, but apparently that is not the case. You see... I have a tendency to become mindless and violent when the sun goes down but with the help of this jar, I was able to retain my sanity. Allowing me to go anywhere as long as I have it close by." smiling as she securely places the jar on her belt. "I sure hope I would be allowed to protect my garden still? Normally living within one's city requires housing tax. I am not entirely sure how I could pay you however..." looking around. "Although I can temporarily repair that bridge if you want."

Macon was right, apparently, to think that Chisel might not care much about hearing how great a negotiator he is, and simply puts on a small smile and nods again. “Thankfully you are not needed in the military at this time.” He lets her speak her peace and gruffly explains, “We would be ‘appy jus’ ‘avin’ y’protectin’ part of the city tha’ is the garden. Tha’ would be payment enough…” He looks towards the bridge and the slow work of updating and repairing it, “... But I will not turn down an offer for a temporary fix to the damage Frostmaw ‘as done. Please…” he waves his free hand towards the bridge remnants while shuffling in place, shifting weight back and forth between good and bad legs.

Chisel was wondering if she should buy the King a dictionary instead but she nodded for him and went by the entrance of the city as she put down her bag. Her dolls began climbing out of it, quite a sight especially as they are simply dolls, creepily moving around with plant life growing from them as the soon began flinging themselves across the bridge using vines and into the forest beyond. She soon remove the clothe upon the jar to completely use its power. Allowing her body to consume alot more energy than normal, she wills the forest to come closer. Soon enough damaged trees from the war began falling down and dragged deeper into the forest, the workers started with confusion then panic as the trees moved on its own. Soon enough the wall by the river suddenly broke outward as roots began to outgrow. Most moving into the waters, searching for pieces of the bridge. Her children reappears on the other sides with vines clinging on them as they assisted the repair. Large flora began to move Larketian stone into the bridge only to be strapped in place with vines, roots growing underneath for support as the rest of the rocks, The dryad stresses a bit but the sun in the bottle is providing too much power, forcing her to output so much as well or it will eat her up again and may cause her to overgrown herself uncontrollably. As stones finally finds themselves in place, thick vines, branches and roots continue to build themselves underneath the bridge to secure it in place with a high tension cable was also placed above with flowery vines dangling below, holding the rest in suspension for dual support. As soon as the repairs is made, she could feel flowers already growing out of her arm, needing to hide the jar once again behind the curtain before she turns into a tree.

Macon is certainly impressed by the somewhat strange display of control of (or perhaps ‘communion with’ is a better description) nature that sees the wounded bridge being augmented with flora. “Incredible.” Macon mutters to himself, purposely loud enough for Chisel to hear. He leaves the awed workers to ask her the specifics on how long she thinks this temporary fix will last and for them to decide on how much weight should be allowed to cross at any one time so as not to test the limits of the forest spirit’s handiwork. Those are not the concerns of a king, after all. Instead The Rage Knight extends his and Larket’s gratitude, “Larket thanks you. Y’may tend t’your garden in peace… and I don't think y’will need t’worry about taxes any time soon.” So says The King.

Chisel began trimming out the little leaves, flowers and branches growing out of her arm. Painful ofcourse but someone has to do it. She turned to the king and nodded. She did heard him but did not bother to comment about it. Her children soon returned to her, crossing the completed bridge. "The pieces are held together with roots, vines and branches. Normally metal and stone is alot more stronger but the flora would repair itself over time. If you wish to remove the bridge entirely and rebuild it from scratch, just tell me so and I will remove it." she bows at him as she was welcomed into the city. Properly this time, she soon walked toward the west where her garden is, with the little dolls walking behind her like a parade.