RP:This War Is A Mistake

Part of the Rise of Larket Arc

Summary: After arriving and calming down, Hildegarde visits Josleen's room to discuss what happened in Larket. Josleen reassures Hildegarde that Macon never touched her, and was in fact good to her. She also divulges that Kelovath has deceived them, Macon is not evil, and that Macon wishes to meet Hildegarde to discuss peace. Hildegarde agrees to think on it. Secretly, she questions the nature of Josleen's relationship to Macon.

Thane's Room, Frostmaw Fort

Josleen doesn’t speak on the flight back to Frostmaw. She can nearly feel the saurian’s rage like hot ripples on the scaly skin. From experience, Josleen has learned to give Hildegarde ample space when she is angry, speak only when she is calm. They reach the fort and the queen is still too furious too talk. Josleen lets Hildegarde storm out to collect herself, then the Thane leaves to find her place again in the fort. She takes pleasure in the familiar faces in the corridors, the weave of the clothes, the smell of the pine fixtures, the rustic stone walls, the thudding gait of giants. This is Frostmaw, and she loves the City of War, despite the frost. She soaks in a hot tub, shedding Larketian dust and considerations. The prospects for peace are dimmer than ever before. As a Thane, Josleen has long wanted peace for practical reasons. Frostmaw has seen three wars in as many years. The army, though emboldened by their fearless queen, can only take so much. What is there for Frostmaw to gain in Larket? The Queen has spoken of annexation, but in truth the Thane doesn’t have the same vision when it comes to Larket. The culture is too different, and the ties between the two cities too tenuous. But beyond the political considerations there is now the personal, as Josleen, as a woman stripped of titles, desires peace because she has taken a liking to the enemy King. It’s late, and if Hildegarde doesn’t come calling, then Josleen will keep to her room. The Queen will summon her if needed, if not, Josleen will take the initiative first thing in the morning. Probably best to let an angry dragon sleep on it.

Although Hildegarde had left in a foul mood, it was not something she could keep up forever. Not when Josleen was nearby, anyway. This was not the first time that Hildegarde had flown headfirst into a dangerous situation for the sake of the bard, nor would it be the last by all likelihoods. The Silver, deciding she had calmed by now, decided to make her way to Josleen's chambers. What would she think? Would her thoughts even be her own? There was much and more at stake. With a sigh, the Silver shook her head and willed the thoughts away for now, they could resurface when she heard something she didn't like. Scarred knuckles rap against the door of Josleen's chamber, followed by a brief silence. "Jos?" comes gently after that brief silence, not out of impatience but out of care. Who knows what terrors Josleen had been subjected to? The presence of guards by her door were certainly not to keep her prisoner, no, they were merely there to protect the likely confused bard! "Are you awake?" she asks, her voice at a calling volume before dipping slightly as if she had realised perhaps Josleen was actually sleeping.

Josleen was in bed fighting sleep and trying to read a book she found in the fort library about witches. It’s a battle she was losing, until Hildegarde once again comes to her aid! The knock on the door wakes Josleen right up. She blinks several times and inhales deeply. “Mm, yes. Yes.” She calls weakly. “Come in.” She sits up in bed in her sleeping gown and a cardigan. Frostmaw is always cold, even indoors.

Hildegarde enters the room once given permission, closing the door behind her so as to keep the heat (what little there was of it) in the room for Josleen's sake. Taking note of the cardigan, the Silver gestures towards the hearth, "Do you want me to stoke the flames?" she asked, trying not to think of the flames of war that had previously been stoked by spiriting Josleen back to Frostmaw. "Do you need anything? Want anything?"

Josleen nods and shrugs at Hildegarde’s offer of stoking flames. Sure, maybe? The fire seems of such little importance right now given what just happened in Larket. “I’m alright.” Beat. “Well, I’m comfortable, but perhaps not alright. Worried, about this war, and anxious to get justice.” She gestures towards the bed for Hildegarde to have a seat if she likes. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Hildegarde takes the nod for permission and makes her way over to the hearth, where she'd take the poker and gently push the logs about before adding another one to the pile. She'd even crouch low and briefly blow at the hearth, her highly flammable paralytic breath causing the flame to grow large and roar for a few moments. Turning with her eyebrows having only minor singes, the Silver approaches the bed and sits precariously at the edge of the bed. "I'm thinking that I was ready to kill Macon," she confesses quietly. There is no pride or delight in her voice. Death was never an easy thing, taking a life or knowing you have the power to take a life is never an easy thing. "Did he..." she looks at Josleen for a moment, searching perhaps for signs, "Did he hurt you? Did he do anything... anything untoward?" It is clear that Hildegarde does not want a bad answer to these questions, but she's prepared for it.

Josleen can’t help but grin at the affect the breath has on the fire. When Hildegarde is in human form, the little reminders that she is a dragon always amuse her. Never forget. The grin deepens impishly when she notices the singed brows. Oh Hilde. The smile disappears as soon as Hildegarde says she was ready to kill Macon. Josleen always knew that was a real possibility. She told Macon about it, and she herself worried about it. “I’m glad you didn’t kill him. He has not hurt me, I swear it. He’s never laid an unkind hand on me. He’s surprised me with his generosity. I believe I may have prejudged him unfairly, because of what Kelovath told me to believe about him. It doesn’t help that King Macon himself is… dark. He’s a war veteran and a lifelong military and law enforcement man. He has a lot of scars, emotionally speaking. I think some may confuse his darkness for evil, but over the course of the past month I’ve come to realize he is not evil. He is a man with a past, a short fuse, and a bit of a grump, really, but evil? No.” She shakes her head gently to emphasize her point. “That’s what Kelovath wanted me to believe, and what I in turn asked you to believe, and I am so sorry for that. Kelovath made a fool of me. He’s deceived us all, but me most of all.”

Hildegarde would ruin her eyebrows for Josleen, such was her love. But even her love for Josleen could not lead her to believe Macon was who she said he was right now. The Silver offers a small grunt as Josleen reveals that the King of Larket is a war veteran and man with a dark past. Who wasn't these days? "Jos," she says, trying not to sound exasperated, "I am a war veteran. I have my scars," some more visible than others, "and I am forever marked by war. You have seen how it has, and can, hurt me. Hurt you. What if such happens to Macon?" The knight is fearful that Macon will suffer the warrior's malady, just like she does. That one night he will sleep fitfully, only to wake with his hands wrapped about some innocent's throat. She is afraid this happened to Josleen during her stay, if not worse. "I don't understand. You swore to me about Kelovath, Jos. You so firmly believed in him and asked me to have the same faith in him. Are you saying I have gone to war wrongly?"

Josleen frowns slightly and says after Hildegarde asks about Macon’s scars. “I’m a veteran, too, in a way. Three wars with Frostmaw… in the clinic but I’ve seen carnage just the same. I’ve not taken a life, but I have failed to save many. It is because of this that I understand you, and also why I understand him.” When Hildegarde asks about Kelovath, Josleen’s frown deepens and quakes. It’s so embarrassing, so painful. No one expects to be lied to on such a breathtaking scale, by an alleged paladin of Arkhen, no less (or so Josleen now believes). She shrugs helplessly at Hildegarde’s final question, head shaking at a loss. “I didn’t see this coming.” Her voice cracks. There’s no tears yet, she’s had a month to cry and harden herself, but it’s different in Hildegarde’s company. She knows that with Hildegarde she can cry, and she feels herself at risk for breaking down again. She managed to stay together when she told Hudson, but this is different, this is the bosom of her greatest friend and protector.

Hildegarde understood that Josleen had seen the horrors of war, too, but she never liked to think of that. Josleen was Josleen. Gentle, kind, compassionate. Untouched by war. As her voice cracks, however, the Silver shifts slightly on the bed; moving slightly closer to Josleen so she might gently lay a rough and scarred hand upon her to lend strength and comfort. "No one could have. I attempted to go there and free Hureig. To see justice for Hureig. And now we are at war." How things had escalated. "What would you have me do?"

Josleen leans into Hildegarde’s side and sniffs only once. The Queen’s confidence in her reassures her that while this betrayal by Kelovath is unprecedented, the fault lies not entirely, or not only, at Josleen’s feet. A few tears dampen her eyes but she wipes them away and no more fall. She answers the last question first, then works backwards. “Meet with Macon. Invite him here to Frostmaw as an enemy King who has come with the intention to negotiate for peace. There are wrongs to be righted, and I believe he is open to discussing them. But before that… you should know why I believe Kelovath to have deceived me. I’ll start with the evidence that convinced me, because it is something I only knew--that is to say, even King Macon did not know this, and thus the information did not come from him and could not possibly have been manipulated by him. It is something I saw for myself. While I was in Frostmaw for the war council, Kelovath, without advising me beforehand that he would do so, traveled alone to the underdark, to allegedly confront Gevurah D’Artes, alone. He claims she attacked him and that a sentient, powerful sword broke out of Former Archmage Tiphareth’s enchantments to save his life, succeeded in doing so. And then, Kelovath claims, he managed to escape the drow city, the underdark, unscathed and with a holy sword in his possession.” Josleen looks at Hildegarde sidelong like ‘come on, give me a break’. What a tall tale! “I wanted to believe him, despite how absolutely absurd that story is. I loved him, truly and foolishly I did, but then Macon showed me some evidence that Kelovath was behind the fermin plague, killed the priest of Cyris and well… Like I said, Macon did not know about the sword or Kelovath’s visit to the underdark, only I knew that. And well… now I look back at the woman I was two months ago, who fell for that yarn, and I am ashamed. How could I have ever believed such a farce?”

While anyone else might have considered this to be an absolute farce and too fantastical to have ever happened, Hildegarde gives a counter shrug. "Stranger things have happened," she admits. "A woman gave me a weapon from Lake Frysta. A woman who rose from the water and looked partially made of it," a long held secret she had previously only told her own Queen. "I don't know, Jos," she finally sighs. "It is a little farfetched, but... I don't know. Who can say what happened? All I can say is that he is not here and we are left to deal with the mess. I do not want a full blown war. Why else would I challenge Macon to single combat?" she huffs. "My people have no heart for another war, nor do I. But peace almost seems beyond us."

“A water nymph?” Josleen guesses when Hildegarde mentions the water woman. To Josleen, water sprites giving away magical weapons seem far more likely than anyone getting anything out of the underdark for free and without injury. The Thane cringes when Hildegarde mentions the one-on-one combat again. “Hilde, please. Please don’t…. Do not underestimate him. He is strong, and if anything should happen to you… you know it would break my heart.” She squeezes Hildegarde’s hand, then hesitates, licking her lip nervously before adding. “And I must confess that although I worry for you on the off chance you should lose, I do also believe you are more likely to win. And even in the likely case that you do win, I am not happy because… I must confess this… Over the past month I have come to see Macon as a friend. During my stay in Larket, he invited me to dine with him every night, and to accompany him on some Larketian matters of spectacle, and we spoke often of things far away from politics or war, just of our lives and homes. I’ve come to see the humanity in him and I sympathize with his position. While my loyalties are always with Frostmaw, and I would negotiate to Frostmaw’s benefit, and I do believe he has insulted and attacked Frostmaw and must amend for those slights, I do not wish for him to make those amends with his blood. I do not think peace is impossible. You and Macon both tell me you want peace. Let me broker it between you. As for Kelovath… when he is captured his confession will make everything clear. But to wait for his capture would put innocent lives at risk. I still say you should invite Macon here, on your turf, for negotiations. And make him pay! He has the wealth, and Frostmaw could use it. Why not?”

Hildegarde offers Josleen a look as if to say she didn't think it was just a water nymph! "I wouldn't underestimate him," she murmured a little bit defensively. "The man is well built. He looks sprightly, though. Relies on his anger for strength, so he might tire quickly," whereas she could last. But with this complaint, Hildegarde feels as though something is amiss. Josleen panicked when Hilde issued her challenged, she did not seem so keen to leave Larket. What was between Macon and Josleen? "What peace would you broker?" she asks, curious as to how Josleen would solve the problem. "Larket has little love in Frostmaw, it has a long history as a craven and breaking its alliances with us," she says, knowing she need not inform her Thane of this for she would surely already know! But it was a tender spot for the Frostmawians. It had hurt their pride and forever stained the honour of Larket. "Hm," the knight emitted thoughtfully, "Macon wants peace. But he sneers and speaks unkindly, then acts offended when he gets it in turn," she said with her brow furrowed, perhaps confused by it. "If he wants to continue with the slights, he can put up his fists," she muttered unhappily, looking a bit glum before giving Josleen a sidelong glance. Having draped her arm around Josleen, the Silver continues to murmur, "I am not very intelligent. I think all those hits to my head have made me even more foolish," she said, giving Josleen's arm a little playful squeeze to indicate she was only kidding around.

Josleen knows the history between Larket and Frostmaw but lacks the saurian talent for holding a grudge. Besides, the Thane has a knack for looking forward, not back. It’s what has helped her weather wars, horrors, imprisonments, betrayals, and so on. Perhaps it also makes her an easy mark. She smiles and shakes her head at Hildegarde’s joke. “You observe so much of his personality in a few short meetings and call yourself not intelligent? You’re right. His demeanor lacks... tact,” Josleen says tactfully. “Diplomacy isn’t his strong suit, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want diplomacy. If you want peace as you say, then perhaps…” She sighs regretfully, and this isn’t an act. She knows this is hard for any monarch to do. “Perhaps we must learn to be blind to his sneers and focus on his actions.” She shrugs helplessly, as if to say ‘it’s crap but maybe it’s right.’ “I also suspect that the fewer witnesses to the peace talks, the better. With witnesses, one has one’s ego and reputation to protect.” Josleen is careful to use ‘one’ and not ‘he/him’ here, because, as much as she loves her queen, she knows that her Queen and Macon are very similar in this regard. Both are very sensitive to how they are treated by others, and both expect their authority to be observed without flaw and at all times. It’s why they’re monarchs. “If King Macon perceives a slight from Frostmaw while he is alone, then he may be able to move on from it, but in front of others, he may feel the need to prove his reputation and not tolerate any slight. Additionally, he may be more willing to concede more ground if his concessions are kept secret. So I suggest we keep the group small, perhaps just the three of us, maybe a fourth.” // Taking a deep breath, she leans back on her elbows and looks up at the ceiling thoughtfully. “Ask for an outpost for the army and Eyrie in the eternal forest. It’s the military benefit of an annexation without the tediousness of ruling a foreign culture from abroad. We will ask for other things as well, but that can be our goal and what we won’t yield on.”

Hildegarde listens to Josleen's recommendations and her advice, agreeing in parts and disagreeing in others. "I will not take land in the Eternal Forest," she states firmly, as if she would not hear any different on the matter. "That mess of a cursed forest is Larket's to deal with, I won't have my people and the beasts of the Eyrie subjected to those... well... those creatures," werewolves of massive proportions; necromancers and more. Who knew what was out there? "I'll think on it," she promises, "but I'm not terribly keen about this all done in secret..."

Josleen blinks in surprise at Hildegarde’s refusal to take land in the eternal forest, but she doesn’t push the point. The Queen won’t budge, and that would have been a hard sell to Macon anyway. It’s easier not to bring it up. “All I ask is that you think on it, Hilde…” Her voice trails a bit before she adds gently, “And if secrecy is not your style, then do it as you would do it best. It’s gotten you this far, and it’ll get you farther still.” She smiles nervously, her lips poised around words she quickly aborts. Best to leave it there. Best not to push, even if she is anxious to have achieved peace yesterday rather than tomorrow.

Hildegarde is soft around Josleen. She knows the bard well enough to know something has been left unsaid. "You had best speak your mind now before there is no time to speak it. Words unsaid are words regretted."

Josleen relents with a sigh and sits up fully to finish her thought, her push for peace. In truth, the Thane is pessimistic about Frostmaw’s chances to survive a 4th war in as many years, following so closely on the heels of a civil war. She wants to end this war now, both because she believes the war is an error (Kelovath is bad, m’kay), and because she believes Frostmaw needs more time to recover. “I would advise you invite him here right now in order to stymie any retaliation he may feel compelled to do after what happened in the Larketian fort. By inviting him here you are not committing yourself to peace. A conversation may be fruitful, orit may not be. If it isn’t, you can send him away without any treaty. But by inviting him now, you may prevent a retaliation and preserve life. And the conversation may be fruitful enough to avoid battle for some time to come. I see our army is weary. It’s been 3 hard years of war… A little diplomacy, even if only to stretch time and prevent a battle, may be wisest here.”

Hildegarde listens to Josleen's suggestion. Diplomacy could go a long way, that was true. But Hildegarde felt such darkness in her heart when it came to Macon, she couldn't reason it away or explain it if she tried. "Do you want to write to him?"

Josleen’s eyes light up bright and doe-brown at the prospect of de-escalating the war, perhaps even ending it if she can pull this off. “I will write to him if it is what you would have me do, but I believe the gesture would be greater coming from you. I could help you craft your invitation, but your seal would impress him more than mine.”

Hildegarde lifted her hand, "I didn't ask you to write it for me. I asked you if you wanted to write to him," and she pauses very briefly here, "and I see that you do, given your reaction. Parchment, ink and quill will be made available to you. You're not a prisoner here, after all," she said with a little smile. "I do not like Macon. I suspect I will not like him at all. But you evidently like something about him, so I will respect that."

Josleen blinks twice at Hildegarde in confusion. "So then are you saying you will write to him to invite him here to discuss the possibility of peace?"

"I will think on it," she told Josleen.

The Thane presses her lips together and glances away from the Queen. So close. Her hopes peaked, then crashed. All hope is not lost, but both monarchs seem so set in their ways. Her heart races as she feels with each passing moment the war draws closer, Macon is more likely to retaliate. She inhales deeply, shuts her eyes, calms her nerves, then looks back at Hildegarde. “Alright… Let me know what you would have me do.” The bard steers away from the subject of her affection for Macon. There’s nothing productive to be discussed there, as far as she can tell. Once peace is achieved will the king even want her anymore? Hard to say. Why invest? Josleen tries her best not to.