Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 25: The Road to Jerdon

[Inactive Account]

"I'm fine," Kelas replied, surprised that Aiya was asking after her after how she'd reacted last time. "I'm cold and wet and wondering why we're on a wild goose chase, but I'm all right." As they entered the house proper, suddenly awash in the comparative warmth of a building with fireplaces and closed doors, she reflexively relaxed a bit; she hadn't noticed tensing up against the cold.

[Ether]

"So, you're not mad?" Aiya blurted out, before she could stop herself.

"Err..."

'No, I wanted to know anyway... there is no point in taking it back now.'

"Are you not angry about what happened?" Aiya asked, this time turning directly towards Kelas.

[Inactive Account]

"Huh?" Kelas had some idea of what Aiya was talking about, but she wasn't sure she wanted to reply definitely unless Aiya confirmed her suspicion. "Angry about what happening now?"

She didn't particularly want to think about it. She'd spent a good deal of the ride kicking herself over the whole thing before she managed to let her mind wander off; now she was being reminded, before she really wanted to think about anything besides hot baths and warm clothes. Still, Aiya meant well, and she wasn't on bad enough terms that Kelas could just pull away and walk off somewhere else... she fidgeted instead.

[Ether]

"You know what I am talking about." Aiya said openly, not sure why Kelas was being so dodgy with her.

'Does that mean she is mad?'

"When Isotov left. You were angry when you went to talk to him, steaming, even. You made sure to make that clear." Aiya said with a firm voice, before looking down at the ground, as her voice began to quiver.

"I know I was the one who made you mad... how am I supposed to apologize if you won't even give me the time of day?"

[Inactive Account]

"Ha!" Kelas couldn't help a bit of a harsh laugh before she answered; her shoulders shook a bit as she tried to compose herself. The whole situation was miserable, but Aiya's confusion as to what had actually happened was almost funny, in a way. "I'm sorry, Aiya. I'm not mad at you either. It's just that that's not really what happened at all," she replied, shaking her head. "I couldn't tell you what was going on then because I figured if it got back to Morgan what was going on, she'd kill him and me, or at least me since I'm the expendable one. He'd probably just get hurt. 'Sides, I didn't really feel like talking to anyone right then, not like you couldn't tell.

"I wasn't shouting at Isotov. It was Miranda, and I'm not forgiving her for any of this. The original plan was she was going to go with the mercenaries, but she decided it'd be a better idea to let him go get killed."

She sighed. "So now I'm just worried. I guess I could've asked him not to go, but... I understood too well why he had to," she replied. "And now I'm going on about it. Sorry."

[Ether]

Aiya just looked at Kelas for a good minute, her only discernible motion the repeated blinking of her eyes.

"I... see." Aiya managed after a good while had passed.

"Well, looks like I screwed up... again." Aiya said with a sigh, as she flopped down on the floor of the manse.

[Mercakete]

"Very well. Since you are now part of this group, it is best that we all become aquinted. What is your full name and title, miss? This," he indicated Raemond, "is Raemond: both a Reformist Templar of Ursibus and a brother of the faith I follow, founded by his elder sister, Raechel." Next, he indicated Jasmine. "This is Lieutenant Jasmine Maruska of the Elyisimian army under the command of General Conrad, appointed by said general as my escort on my return to Bellmire Estate."

[the_whistler]

Conrad:

The general nodded. "The group seems to awake and moving downstairs, Captain. Prepare for a possible departure," leaving the room and heading outside himself, belongings in hand. It was dismal weather again, just as it had been the last time he visited Jerdon. Luckily the Dusk Knight was wearing a reasonably thick coat, made of good thread. He would be damp perhaps, but not soaked through.

Riding towards the front as the group slowed to a stop, Charlotte and Derek began talking to the cavaliers in Jerdonian. Conrad's knowledge of the language was more flimsy than he liked to admit, but he understood some of the more essential vocabulary, and could guess at the gist of what was going on. They had thought the Duke dead for whatever reason- those men had been quite wrong on that point.

Still, Charlotte's name upon her own title was an entirely different matter. Heir to the royal throne, or, as an old friend had once spoken, like the keys to the kingdom. The kingdom which Jace now controlled, and Charlotte would have difficulties taking back. General Jackson hoped a reply would come soon; he was walking a thin line as a representative of Elyisima and a Crimson Weapon wielder bound to follow this unruly path.

Heinz:

The thief kept his eyes open despite the sleet, moving each leg every so often to ensure his entire body hadn't frozen up. His years as a mercenary had allowed Heinz to develop a fairly strong immunity to the elements. Can't react as fast as I'd like though, brushing the sleet out of his hair and off of the cloak. He smiled grimly as they were escorted to the duke's manor. Duke of Munktan, eh? Suppose he has his own secrets, casting a glance at the thunder sage, his sister. Still no memories? A pity….

Having stabled Ralf and entered the manor proper, Heinz took off his wet cloak and boots, setting the latter next to the fire to dry. Cloak in one hand, the mercenary spotted a lone woman. Not a servant, and looks a bit lost, he noted. Walking up Heinz inclined his head slightly. "You from Jerdon? The master of the house is over there, if you needed anything."

Upon hearing the princess, the mercenary blinked. Getting into trouble already, it seems.

OOC: Assumed Midori went inside with the rest.

[Inactive Account]

"Hey, it wasn't an unreasonable assumption to make," Kelas replied hastily, a bit alarmed at Aiya's behavior. "Nobody properly knowing what was going on was sort of the point at the time. Are you okay?"

[scorri]

Blinking in surprise, Tiria eyed Jasmine. A lieutenant in the army... That is what my life could have been if my family had not been so insistent on magic being the only "proper" way of life. Instead I got kicked out... Looking back at Beau, Tiria inclined her head slightly and said "My name is Tiria. I hold no title. I am simply a wandering swordsman trying to stay alive." Tiria glanced over the group again and sighed. Horses. Well, horses and a pegasus. Of course. I should have kept my horse when the group split, but I couldn't afford her and I wasn't going to steal her. Well... either I will be playing keep up, or someone will have to share a mount.

[Mercakete]

"You have no surname? Welcome all the same. We've been travelling at a slow pace so that the mounts could travel farther expanses. We should be within the Elyisimian border by nightfall. We will rest there, then continue until reaching Bellmire estate. ... I will see its condition when we arrive," Beau informed, hinting that now was the time to continue their traverse.

As they did so, Raemond began speaking to Tiria. "This may seem to be an odd contract so you. I'm sorry it's so sudden. Beau is still trying to sort things out for himself," he explained. Though Beau was riding Lantos just as Raemond was, he didn't may any attention to this new conversation.

[Phoenix]

Jasmine's Job

It took a moment to register, but Jasmine quickly spoke up to correct Beau as politely as she could manage.

Jasmine: It's 'Sergeant' actually, Beau. (I certainly wouldn't be alone on escort duty if I was a lieutenant, that's for sure.) Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Tiria.

That was all she really had to say for the moment, so she got quiet again after that..

[Ether]

"Well, it's just... I'm a military officer, I should be better at this sort of thing." Aiya said with a sigh.

"How am I supposed to establish myself and keep going if I can't even come close on something like this? Maybe everyone at the academy was right..." Aiya said dejectedly, leaning against the wall of the building.

[Inactive Account]

"Whoa, hey..." Kelas hadn't expected anything like this reaction. "Are you supposed to be keeping tabs on everyone, or something, you mean? I mean I dunno how happy I'd be with something like that, but regardless, Miranda showing up means that whatever's going on isn't what's expected, right?"

[Snike]

Damage Control

"... Is this true, Duke? Do you honestly support her ridiculous claim?" Roger asked, turning to the departing duke.

"Yes. I can tell you that Dukes Montvieu, Loup, and Branson all died in the siege, if the Princess is 'confirmed' dead," Derek said, turning around as he heard the previous statement. "They, along with my Father, were the only ones who knew Princess Charlotte was sent to Elyisima, when the war began. Father told me about this just before the last assault on the Palais. If you don't believe me, just ask Prince Tristan, right there," he finished, gesturing towards the Prince of Septimus.

Alex

"You'll have an easier time of it, especially since there are no rumours of a dead Prince running about," Alex replied, as the drama started to pick up. "Just hang onto your royal crest, or there may be more of an issue."

[Ether]

"No, it's not that. It was always... difficult trying to get respect in the military academy as a woman. Halton's military policy is equal opportunity, but men will be men, and they still looked down on me and treated me like crap when Damian wasn't around to stop them... when it got out that I was an orphan, well, things certainly didn't get better." Aiya trailed off, wiping her eyes with an unarmoured portion of her arm.

"Someone like you will never get anywhere, you'll always be a failure, just drop out and start whoring yourself already... all I wanted was to prove them wrong, so I practiced and practiced, and even now, is this all I am capable of? Were they right all along?" Aiya quivered slightly as she spoke, a dejected vagueness hanging off her voice.

[Mercakete]

"Ah. My appologies, Sergeant; I am somewhat distracted at the moment," Beau corrected, only looking over for his appology before returning his sight to the border.

[Inactive Account]

This was growing increasingly awkward and Kelas was bordering on panic. She wasn't good with anything like this, she didn't know Aiya that well, she certainly wasn't a good source of advice... "I reckon they're only right if you let them be," she replied, trying to stall for time before she had to come up with something that actually meant anything. "If you don't let yourself believe 'em, if you're stubborn and work at it, you'll prove them wrong... not sure what this has to do with what happened earlier, but..." She floundered. She had no idea what to say to snap Aiya out of... whatever this was.

Edited June 25, 2011 by Kiryn

[-Cynthia-]

"Sir Derek's right!" Tristan piped up, hearing his name mentioned. "My parents, King Stefan and Queen Isolde, confirmed her as the true Princess of Jerdon, and as uh, acting Prince of Septimus I hearby substantiate this claim," he said, hoping this all sounded official enough.

Charlotte fumed silently at hearing her claim referred to as ridiculous, but decided it was better to let others speak for the time being.

[Ether]

"I try and try, but what if I can't go any farther than this? What good is stubbornness and effort if you can't progress more than halfway?" Aiya began, before catching Kelas' awkward vibes.

"But I guess you have no interest in that. I guess, something or other you said just, struck a chord... I won't bother you with it again." Aiya said with a sigh, pushing herself off the ground and moving towards a door deeper into the manse.

[Inactive Account]

"No, what I mean is-- none of that crap they say is true, it's only meant to make you give up, that's why you can't afford to give up," Kelas called after Aiya. "I... I dunno." She didn't follow as Aiya walked off; she wasn't sure if Aiya wanted to be left alone or not.

------------------------------------------------

Arrin finally caught up with the cat; it had ducked into a small room with a few chairs and a fireplace, and promptly gone to sleep in front of the fire. Arrin would have liked a nap as well, but he didn't know where everyone was supposed to be sleeping, so he settled for sitting down and pulling out his teacher's notes. Turning back to the page where he'd found the impossible translation, he began to try and decode it again.

Edited June 25, 2011 by Kiryn

[eclipse]

OoC: Alright, I went in with everyone. And the edit is because I derped hard.

It was a relief to be indoors again. Paintings adorned the walls, and the stone floor was a welcome respite from the muck she'd had to fight through in order to keep up with the group. It was a good place to spend the night.

Why did she feel completely unsettled by her surroundings? She brushed her unease aside and looked for somewhere quiet to relax. Did someone just say something? She whirled around toward the source of the voice. Someone she'd seen around looked at her quizzically.

"Oh, um, right. Thanks, uh--"

Edited June 25, 2011 by eclipse

[Script]

Luc Altair

The same retainer--that cavalier--answered Princess Charlotte by questioning Derek. Did he truly expect a different answer? That Derek would be traveling with someone with a false claim? Though, at least this conversation that should not be allowed Luc to gleam some insight into how such a thing could have happened. Not that it was some great surprise that most of those who could validate would have passed, or that the small tidbit of information was worth this aggregate.

And then Derek offered Prince Tristan up as a witness. Damnation, if only that could be kept secret. There was no telling what could happen now. At least the Prince was cooperating. If these men had any sense they would leave it at that.

[the_whistler]

Heinz:

The woman hadn't answered the question. Doubt she's a random passerby, he mulled, looking carefully at the lancer. "Traveling with the rest of this group?" the mercenary queried, gesturing to other members. Been sleeting hard enough I wouldn't have noticed, Heinz grudgingly admitted.

Conrad:

"Hello, Morgan," he said, greeting the shaman. "Beau needed to depart immediately for Elyisima due to family matters, and took the Templar monk and one of my subordinates as an escort along with him. I thought you might want to know," the general informed her.

[-Cynthia-]

"I had heard Beau left from Viveka, but I had not heard that Raemond left. This is...unfortunate to say the least. Raemond can easily inform the other Templars of our location and they will attack us again. Templars are both persistent and delusional. Kill a few, more will show up later," Morgan replied to Conrad, not interested in the discussion of politics at all.