RP:You've Got A Friend In Me

Part of the Thy Kingdom Come Arc

Summary: With Hildegarde resting in Xalious, she is determined to regain some of her strength before moving on with her quest to reclaim Frostmaw. While hauling up buckets of water, the woman is interrupted by the naga known as Xzavior. Once they realise how they are familiar to one another, Xzavior delivers her some news of Frostmaw and the fact that Pilar is technically stuck up there. They plot to get a message to her and Xzavior promises to help Hildegarde reclaim Frostmaw.

Town Well

Hildegarde had, much to her relief, been given refuge in the family home of Kyl’oriel. With Josleen to vouch for her and her merry band of giants, the knight had been given shelter by the mage and was very glad for it. It was a secure location, as was any home of a good mage! It was a place where the knight could rest and recover some of her former strength, though that would certainly be a long and arduous journey. The woman was determined to regain her strength. She could not return to Frostmaw as weak as she was. Her enemies would kill her on sight or use her weakness against her, to reason that she was unfit to lead the giants which was true. Only the strongest could rule Frostmaw, that was and has always been the way of the City of War. So here the knight stood, hands firmly about the winch as she rotated it to bring the heavy and full bucket of water slowly to the top. In the days before her death and resurrection, the knight could do it one handed and without breaking a sweat! But since then, it was a little more difficult. She was stronger than a human man to be sure, but she had to continue to work to regain her strength. The numerous buckets of water dotted about her would denote that this has been serving as a form of exercise.

Xzavior wandered Xalious in hopes of finding his own new area to train, having been restricted from entering Frostmaw after his last visit. The thought of it still brought both a small chuckle and scowl to him. In truth he didn't need the large amounts of practice he's been putting in. He just wanted to be prepared for anything that might come his way. Xzavior was going to the Mage's tower to let them know not to worry about any unnatural weather patterns that might happen. He's caused a few snowstorms on accident which is the exact reason he trained in Frostmaw. Though as he made his way to the tower he saw the woman pulling buckets out of the well and the others at her side. She was familiar to him yet he wasn't quite sure he knew from where and it really bugged him. With a curious look he made his way over and asked, "Would you like some help? Oh, and excuse me if we've met before. I had lost my memories a while back and I still seem to be missing bits and pieces."

Hildegarde had just about hauled up the bucket by the time Xzavior had drawn close enough to speak to her. With a grunt, she unwraps the coil of rope from the handle of the bucket and hauls it over the side of the well and onto the ground. It’s heavy work and tiring, but undoubtedly rewarding. Her arms and shoulders burn and ache from the effort, but she feels stronger already. “No, thank you, sir! Best to do my work by myself and strengthen up these arms again,” she said with a polite smile. “I believe we’ve… well, not met, but we’ve seen one another. I am sorry to hear about your memory, but if you remember the Yule ball in Frostmaw then that’s how we seem familiar to one another,” she reasoned. The Silver took a moment before speaking again, as if watching to see if there was any hint of recognition of remembrance. “In any case, I am Hildegarde the Silver. Honoured to meet you,” she said with a respectful dip of her head.

Xzavior gave a respective nod at her reasoning to do it herself. He gave her a small wave of his hand, "Like I said. Most all of them are back, those that aren't weren't that big of an issue to me anyways." When she mentioned the Ball he quickly recalled every face he could remember until she gave him her name to which he gave her a quick bow, "Xzavior, though the honor is mine. I've actually wanted to meet you in person after I heard you might have actually been revived!" Coming back to a stand he offered her a grin. He looked back at the buckets of water again and gave a hum, "I'm going to guess that being next to dead didn't do any good for your body. I would have thought that being put on ice would have stopped muscle deterioration or at least slowed it to a crawl. It seems that isn't the case."

Hildegarde waved her hand in a dismissive manner, “There is no need to bow to me,” she assured him, “I am just me! Not of note nor importance, so no need to bow.” As he made his speculation about body deterioration and being on ice, the knight nodded in agreement. “The muscle is there, it’s a case of it feels as though it is not. Some has faded, yes. But this is like making a child walk for the first time. It’s going to take practice to get accustomed to the motion once again,” she reasoned. “Although soon I hope to be back on form. What brings you to Xalious, m’lord?”

Xzavior gave it a quick thought, going unmoving for about a month can do quite a bit to a person even if they are given the best care. He quirked a brow at being called m'lord but only chuckled at it, "Well, the same can be said about me then." When she asked his reasoning to be here he sighed and shook his head, "I'm actually here to train myself. I would be up in Frostmaw, I really don't care if those giants are trying to bar people not of their kind out, I can find a way in. I got into a fight with with a group of giants who were trying to exodus the city and now I really can't be there. Not now anyways, give them time to forget my face and I'll try to get back in. I made a promise to help out a friend who is staying there, I can only assume, as a spy."

Hildegarde was ready to smile and go for casual conversation until Xzavior mentioned some sort of exodus. “An exodus?” she asked immediately and with evident impatience. Frostmaw was her city, after all, and she had every intention to get back there to reclaim it when she was strong enough. “I hold no authority any more, but, er, I beg you to tell me all that you know. A spy? This exodus? What’s happening to my city?”

Xzavior gave her a shocked look, "You mean no one has told you? I would have assumed you would have known about it right away!" He frowned slightly but quickly got rid of it for a more serious look, "Like I said, giants are now trying to remove anyone who isn't of their kind and from what I heard they are being bossed by another named Balgruuf who has a lot of intent of going after your throne. And is not going about it in a kind manner as you can tell. Pilar, my friend, is up there right now. I don't actually know what her plan is though." He flashed her a fanged grin, "And there is no need to beg, you have a lot more support in this then you think. There are even giants in Frostmaw that still support you."

Hildegarde shook her head, “Josleen only told me that… that things were changing,” she said, her fingers curling tightly into the palm of her hand with a quiet fury. It was difficult to not march up to Frostmaw right now and attempt to exact justice right then! “Balgruuf,” she repeated the name, “I have heard about him making some movements. But the throne was not mine. The throne was Satoshi’s, I was the Steward. I ruled in her stead. With her gone, with me gone… there’s no heir,” she explained to Xzavior. “Pilar. I have met her, yes. But she must be in danger. If the giants are going to exile the non-giants, she will be in danger. We must get a message to her, but I highly doubt the giants will allow any outsider into the city now,” she said thoughtfully. Yet as Xzavior spoke of Hildegarde having more support than she realised, she smiled with a little hint of relief. “Xzavior. I hardly know you, yet you are already making me feel calmer about this. I know this is our first proper chat, but, er… I think I need your help to reclaim my city. If you lend me your strength, lend me your help, I promise you many rewards and my friendship.”

Xzavior looked up to the mountains with crossed arms, "I've thought about that myself. I don't know if she knows I've been banished yet and I can't go back either way. They've seen me in both forms so I can't even walk in as a human." He turned back to the steward with a smile though, "I'm glad I could be of some reassurance though I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you. You also don't need to offer me anything as a sort of reward, you had my assistance the moment I stepped foot, so to speak, back into Frostmaw. It used to be my home, though in truth I would have tried to distance myself from this. But after seeing everything as it is, and what these people are doing to get at their goals I can't sit back and watch them destroy the place I once called home."

Hildegarde nodded as he explained the situation to her. It seemed dire. Pilar would be in grave danger if she was not careful. “We could get a message to her if we were careful. It would need to be coded, though, in case it was intercepted.” The Silver sighed softly, frustrated with the thoughts and knowledge she could not return to Frostmaw nor bring order to the current chaos. But the fact Xzavior was willing to help? It revived some of her strength. It gave her heart. “We can do this. We will make sure Pilar is safe. But I must gather allies from the realm first before I can make my way to Frostmaw. I need all kinds of allies.”

Xzavior offered her another wide grin, "No doubt we can do it. It'll be tough as hell but I truly believe it will happen." Almost as soon as she said what needed to be done he started thinking of idea after idea of how to get the message up there, the code for the message, and possible allies he had contact to. "I could possibly get you support from the nagas. I don't have a lot of say among them but I know someone who does. But given the situation Alithrya is in I don't know exactly how much help it will be. If we are desperate and really need to I can try and get that message up their myself, being a cryomancer in a land full of snow has benefits." He chuckled slightly. He felt more energized then he had in the past week! His mind was racing with ideas and he loved it, maybe he should do something with that.

Hildegarde smiled as he mentioned Naga support, “You mean Reginae?” she asked, not sure if he knew the woman but assuming he might do. “Reginae is intent on becoming Queen of Alithrya and I have promised her an alliance and my support in this effort. If you could contact her for me, that would be useful,” she said. “I think I have the means to send the message, but with your abilities as a cryomancer… hrm,” she pauses, thinking carefully. “With your abilities, you could perhaps cause a small flurry of snow; a little snowstorm to conceal my messenger so it reaches Pilar safely.”

Xzavior gave her a quick nod to that, "Yup, I can definitely get in touch with her." Hilde's idea on how he could help with the message brought a smile to his face, "I can get it as big as a blizzard depending on how big you're going to need it. I might have to get a little close to the city but I can manage. I didn't get kicked out of there because I lost to those giants after all!"

Hildegarde grinned at his enthusiasm. “I thank Aramoth that we crossed paths today, Xzavior,” she said it with meaning! “I’ll figure out how best to code the message and what we might say to Pilar. I’ll contact you when we need to do this, for now though, I’ll leave you to find Reginae?”

Xzavior laughed and shook his head "It was definitely more then luck that brought me here, I'll agree to that! I'll find Reginae and send her your way," He offered her a hand and said, "From there we can work on getting our home back yea?"

Hildegarde smiled as he offered the hand to shake, “Agreed. I won’t rest until we have Frostmaw back,” she assured him, her hand reaching to grasp his forearm in the traditional warrior’s shake. A sign of great respect in Frostmaw.

Xzavior returned the grasp with a smirk, as soon as he released he turned to leave and threw up a hand in a wave, "It was a great pleasure meeting you and I hope we do again soon." With that he left for Kelay. Screw the training, he had other things he had to do.