[Flashback] The Owl's Song of Death

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura smiled slightly as she saw Nell relax a bit, then tilted her head at the womans promise. "I believe you are, Nell. As am I. If I wanted you corralled or contained, I would not use such cumbersome methods, not when I already had you bound. However, as you made your position clear, so will I make mine. If you turn on us, I'll come for you myself. And there is no one I can't track." she said, her voice neither a threat nor a boast, but rather a calm stating of simple fact made with a blank expression and unblinking stare. Then she smiled again and the aura of authority she possessed vanished, stuffed into some small, out of the way place she could keep it until she needed it again.

"Now that the unpleasant details are out of the way, I am more than willing to offer you a bed here in camp for the night, or several nights should you need more time to recover." she said, her tone more genial as she poured a second glass of water and offered it to Nell. "Your horse is being cared for as well, he might need more than a single Trial to recover. Our horses are not desert mounts. How we're going to effectively use the cavalry down here I have no idea." she said, grimacing slightly.

As she spoke she was covertly looking Nell over again, this time looking more at her as a whole rather than anything in particular. Overall, she liked what she saw. Nell was beautiful, certainly, but not in a strictly conventional manner. And there were things that might offset most people that instead made Kura even more interested, such as the scars that were the mark of genuine bravery. Kura smiled and leaned forward, wondering if she could get Nell to relax even further.

"You know, there isn't much in the way of food in the desert. If you're hungry, I'd be more than happy to share a meal with you." she said, making a wry expression. "Most of these people can't quite get past the fact that I'm technically a Marshall, and those that can get over that trip over the fact that I'm a Professor." she said, before giving Nell a warm smile. "But perhaps we can get past that, Nell. You don't seem like the sort of person to stress over much about rank." she said, her tone somewhat inviting.

[Nell]

Though she didn't truly relax, Nell leaned back into the chair in which she was sitting. Her blue eyes scrutinized the situation, reading over every one of the Marshal's movements. She could see Kura attempting to get her to relax, and the suspicion didn't abate. Instead, it grew, and Nell rebuffed the Marshal's smiles initially.

"Without rank, what are we?" Nell frowned in response to the Marshal. She knew she was toeing a fine line, and she did not want to change the Marshal's mind. But she also needed to be sure that the Marshal was as honest as she would have Nell believe, and if that meant remaining suspicious, then so be it.

"Before you invite me to your table, Marshal, may I tell you a story?" Nell's eyes were cold steel, tempered but razor sharp in their stare. "It shouldn't take long, but may change your opinion of me."

With that, Nell leaned forward. She rested her elbows on her knees, but craned her neck to keep looking at Kura. A look of pain briefly crossed the warrioress' face, but it passed to a determined mask of emotionlessness. A sigh escaped her lips, but she launched into the story nonetheless.

"When I enlisted, I was put with a legion that was full of cravens and fools. They'd fuck by night, and cower by day. I heard them, you know. Fucking. They were shameless in their depravity, and though I lusted to share with them, I never did. Because I was raised to know my place. I am a sword, and I am a shield. I was born a weapon and a defense. And for all my shine, it was my razor edge that repulsed them.

But they fucked, and they moaned in my ear while they did so. At first, it kept me up. I'd look up and see them. Men with men, women with women, all of them together. Anything to get them through the dark, I think. And I wanted to be them. I hated them. They disgusted me, but I wanted to be in their circle. I wanted to feel their warmth and the warmth of their genitals. But I did not. Instead, I lay in my cold bed with the bugs and regrets. And one trial, I was reminded why.

We were ambushed outside the Hotlands on routine patrol. One of the men, Guill, took an arrow to the throat. As if the world were burning and the gods died again, three of his brothers fell to their knees in grief. We'd lost brothers before, mind you. But these three men, they wept for Guill. Not because he was a brother, but because they were in love. The four of them. And within bits, all four of them were reunited in death. You see, they were fools, not for loving, but for loving in war. I watched them as I buried my sword in an enemy's chest. I watched them bleed and sputter, trying to climb close to each other in the icy reaches of death.

So you ask me if I can get past rank, Marshal. Can a sword get past its own edge? It's a part of me, bending my knee to rank. I don't kneel for love, for fear of losing my head, but for rank I will take the arrow to the throat."

With a stare, Nell finished. She gritted her teeth, holding back tears from her eyes. She couldn't cry, not in front of Marshal Wolfsdotter.

"If you do not mind me addressing you as such, my lady, then we are well to dine together. But you cannot ask me not to see you as my Marshal."

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura tilted her head at Nell's comments, then took her pipe off the table beside and her and lit it as the Legionnaire started her story. Her expression during the story, but at the end of it she smiled slightly. "I see your pain. You call yourself a sword, but pain is not something a sword feels. You have a long way to go still, but you have come a long way as well." she said, before her expression turned serious.

"However, you misunderstood your former.....I can't even call them companions or soldiers in their sorry state. Your former allies. While they were undoubtedly foolish, love in war is not the reason why. To lose one you love in battle causes pain, but that pain can turn one into a maelstrom of death and vengeance, laying waste to all in your path. I have seen it done." she said, smiling grimly at a distant memory. "They did not die because they were foolish, they died because they were weak. They let their loss cripple them as opposed to empowering them. I do not deny they were foolish, but the nadir of their foolishness was their jealousy of you, who were what they should have been and were not." she said, her tone an odd mixture of reassurance towards Nell and cold criticism of her old unit.

"As for your trip up over rank, call me what you are comfortable with. I do not mind being addressed as "my lady"." she said, laughing slightly before a slightly curious expression crossed her face. "I can see why you would refuse to lie with any of your old unit, I've owned slaves and known whores who would be more worthy of the attention on basically every level. But did you ever find anyone to help stave off the loneliness?" she said, before blinking and shaking her head. "Don't feel like you have to answer that, I occasionally forget that not everyone is entirely open about that sort of thing."

[Nell]

Nell's blue eyes found the face of the Marshal as she asked about her sex life. Nell was certainly not shy, especially having been in units with many men who boasted of such. But the truth was, she hadn't found many to... stave off the loneliness, as the Marshal called it. Instead, Nell found comfort in her sword, and would it not kill her, she may have just stuck with it. The thought brought a small smile to her face, but she held it at bay. Instead, she tilted her head at Kura.

"Not often. I've been lonely my whole life, my lady. I do not need a reprieve from the norm. Though, the few I've had were little more than moments of relief. I live by steel, not flesh. The spoils of war for me are experiences, not bodies. Should I find one, perhaps I would be tempted to take it, but it is not something I'd war for."

Nell looked at Kura, but there was something different on the warrioress' face. A slight smirk formed at the edge of her lips, giving her a sort of whimsical and coy smile.

"Are you offering me reprieve, my lady?" Her eyes shone, and she paused with her head tilted. It was obviously a jest, but one made flirtatiously. Nell was becoming comfortable, which nearly made her uncomfortable again. She could not afford to be vulnerable lest the Marshal take back what she said. Nell would have to be guarded, on the off chance this was all a ruse. But still, it felt nice to have some contact.

"If only for the night?"

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura tilted her head at Nell's answer, her eyes a little sad. No one should have to do without some form of comfort or companionship, no matter what the reason. Then Nell asked her if she was offering her a reprieve from her self-imposed loneliness and Kura grinned slightly. "I am. I see something in you that I don't in most people." she said, her tone gentle. As she spoke, she stood up and walked to the door of the tent, ordering dinner for herself and for Nell, as well as giving orders for the care of Nell's horse and that, aside from dinner or an emergency, they weren't to be disturbed.

When she returned, she smiled at Nell. "There, that'll make sure we aren't disturbed until dinner." she said, holding out a hand to Nell.

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

Late that night, Kura sat at the foot of her bed, watching Nell sleep. The mortalborn was, as ever anymore, unable to sleep fully. But this time, it wasn't entirely nightmares that kept her up late. Instead, she watched her companion, wondering if Nell would live up to the potential Kura saw in her. She had a feeling she would, and Kura was glad to have met her, glad to have the chance to help her grow into what she would ultimately become.

[Pegasus]

Kura

Points!:

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/ 5
Structure: 5/ 5

Knowledge:

Tactics: Military encampments and their layout
Tactics: Protect the camp, take no risks
Etiquette: Military Etiquette: Ranks, titles etc
Appraisal: Weapons & weapon quality
Detection: Different types of scars
Investigation: Putting together aspects of a scene to determine the situation.
Logistics: Keeping records aids efficiency
Intimidation: Rank has it's privilege
Intimidation: It's easier to intimidate someone when you hold their life in your hands.
Seduction: A romantic meal
Valka: Keen student, bad with names
Nell: Deserted
Nell: You judged her & found her innocent.
Nell: Defiant and proud
Nell: Sharp of mind

Loot:

NA

Fame:

+1 (meal), +2 (upholding a law)

Devotion:

NA

Magic:

These points may NOT be used for arcana

Nell

Points!:

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/ 5
Structure: 5/ 5

Knowledge:

Tactics: Always, always, be aware of your surroundings. Even while you pee!
Tactics: Recognise who is able to be discarded without consequence
Discipline: Maintaining resolve
Discipline: Pride in the face of death
Discipline: Recognising when someone is trying to intimidate you helps.
Discipline: Speak the truth, do not waver.
Discipline: Biting back tears.
Detection: Small details in posture, tone etc give clues to personality
Investigation: Putting together small details to determine who you're facing.
Investigation: If something looks too good to be true, it probably is
Seduction: The art of the meaningful pause
Storytelling: Power words
Storytelling: Painting a picture with your words
Kura Wolfsdotter: Marshall in the Eternal Empire
Kura: Knew you'd deserted
Kura: Judged you and found you innocent
Kura: Might have a job for you, if you're interested
Kura: A Mortalborn

Loot:

NA

Fame:

NA

Devotion:

-1 to each of Ashan, Ymiden, Moseke & Faldrun

Magic:

These points may NOT be used for arcana

Overview:

General comments. Oh, I'm so pleased I got to review this thread! I loved it. What fascinating interaction between the two characters. I love how the power dynamic shifted and changed throughout.
Story Great story - well written - really enjoyable read.
Structure Great, no issues at all

Please do PM me if you think I've missed anything or you have any questions ~ I'm always happy to talk them through!