Starting Date and Time: 5th day of Ceruleo, 300 DM

Starting Location: Western Gatehouse of Ebonfort (Capital)

CS URLs: Rilana Aurorime' and GM

Sergeant Nidic sighed as he watched the line of people and carts and beasts of burden move through the massive gatehouse. All were checked for citizenship, all the merchants were checked to ensure they'd paid their taxes on their goods, and if they hadn't, were taxed on the spot. It wasn't particularly exciting work, but at least it was in the capital. Nidic was new to his position, having recently been promoted after the latest debacle that could only be described as a drunken orc brawl he'd won. He still occasionally rubbed his forehead where he was sure he had a dent from headbutting a particularly large male.

Normally as Sergeant on duty at the gatehouse, his main job was managing the lesser ranked Knights. The only time the humdrum was interrupted was when there was a need for a duel to occur. It was a rare occurrence, for only the most angry, stupid, or confident dared commit a crime in the capital. And Nidic always takes his subordinates chances at duels. It was one of the best parts of holding a senior position.

However, since his rotation brought him to the gatehouse at the beginning of the month, there had been a standing order, straight from Lord Knight Svarak. They were to keep their eyes open for a very specific Moon Fey woman. The order was to stop her, confirm that she was in fact Rilana Aurorime', then initiate the second part of the orders. The second part made him smile, it was only something that Lord Svarak would order someone to do.

"Sergeant Nidic, the scouts believe they see the Moon Fey woman approaching the city, she should be here in fifteen slips."

Nidic nodded at the Knight, "You know what to do." The Lieutenant nodded and began issuing orders. The flow of traffic was redirected, so that the people flowed alone the edges of the road. Nidic walked forward, through the parting waves of travelers, until he was just outside the gatehouse. He stood there, tall, in his odd armor. It looked large on him, and had some... odd placings at the joints. His sword and shield were large and heavy, and the grin upon his face was smug.

He'd wait until he saw her approaching, and he'd lock his intense gaze on her, indicating that he was the one waiting for her. Upon arrival, "Welcome, Rilana Aurorime', I presume? I have orders from Lord Svarak to escort you to his office on your arrival, assuming you have the signed permission he gave." He waited for her to produce the document, or not. If she did, "Good, that's settled. However, I have one more order. Prepare yourself, Svarak would like me to do a full combat sparring with you."

With that, he drew his Ebonsteel longsword. With a devilish grin, he shifted, his form growing slightly, so that it filled his armor more properly. Sergeant Nidic is a were creature, and his face changed to a more feline form, possibly a lynx. He let loose a feral, challenging scream, his feline eyes staring down the woman. And with that, he charged her, his sword already drawn back over his shoulder, before being swept down toward her with a backhanded slash, aiming for her left shoulder.

Warm sunlight sparkled above in the boughs of the trees, filtering in a riot of fiery colours through the turning leaves. The forest was quiet and calm, though the frequent breeze brought a cacophony of rattling branches and bowing canopies. The wind was cool against the Moon Fey's alabaster flesh, a merest hint of the algific storms lurking the mountains around her homeland. No doubt the evergreen woodland of Rilana's childhood were already garnished with ice and snow.

And it was difficult to not chafe at the seemingly infinite delays on her trek back to the walls of ice and the aurora-limned skies she was used to. Her silvery brows were furrowed in concentration as she once again extended her slender hand to offer a tidbit of meat to the baby balauradon, ready to snap it back in an instant if the dark creature lunged again.

"Sit!" She told it firmly, lifting the treat slightly so that when the creature raised its heads to follow the motion the movement would naturally shift it into a sitting position. Rewarding the accidental behaviour was the first step to making it a conscious action next time, and as soon as the animal realized that Rilana was waiting for specific things, it would begin to pay closer attention.

Training the two-headed monster was proving to be a difficult challenge, and while Rilana was not easily dissuaded from working with a troublesome charge, being forced to stop and establish some understanding with the balauradon was fraying her usual calm.

The balauradon was slightly bigger than the average house-cat at this stage and growing rapidly. It slept often and long, moreso when the moon fey kept it stuffed with food, which made it easier to travel with it concealed in a thick leather bag. It seemed to not like the cool wind blowing out of the north, which made Rilana concerned about how it would enjoy life in the Frostfell when she finally, finally, returned home.

The long furred tail swished as four eyes in two heads lifted to follow the motion of the meaty tidbit, and Rilana couldn't help but grin as the creature sat back on its haunches like she had requested. A warm glow of triumph eased some of the tension in her shoulders. One black head watched her face while the other stared fixedly at the treat in her hand.

"Good!" She cooed, offering the dried jerky to the head on the left. This was the head with venom that burned flesh, so she was mindful of her fingertips as she brought them closer, unable to help but feel a deep ache in her shoulder at the memory of where this creature's parent had latched terrifyingly onto her arm before she had mauled it to death in the form of a great snow-bear.

Unable to contain its excitement, the creature jumped forward, lunging for the treat with the wrong head! The jaws of the head on the right were secured with a simple but serviceable leather muzzle that Rilana had crafted from the supplies in her animal training kit. This mouth, the one Lord Svarak had called the "vilefang", exuded a sticky froth of putrid saliva that had a faint odour of gangrene. It was unfortunate for Rilana that the Frostfell was not home to many types of native reptiles, because experience with them may have helped her on the way to establishing a rapport with the balauradon, which was very reptilian in many of its behaviours and habits.

But the Moon Fey was a quick learner and the first thing she wanted to do was teach this creature to only use the deadlier vile-teeth when she wanted it to. Today, however, she was not quick enough to stop the impact of the smooth, muzzled snout from knocking the meat out of her gentle hand onto the leafy ground. The balauradon jumped after it with an excited Grawr (slightly muffled from the head on the right), and Rilana couldn't help but smirk a little, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement as her lips pressed into a line to stifle a soft chuckle.

It was in that moment that she felt just how much of an affection she was developing for the otherwordly beast, though it resonated as intensely unwise in her heart. It was one thing to become helplessly attached to a creature like Kona, or even the white raven given to her by the gangly old Druid in Green Falls, but she doubted that even her own people would be as accepting as a monster as dangerous as this four-eyed creature. If there was any hope for it, especially if a Bond formed, she had a lot of work to do.

Even as she reached for the baby now whuffling determinedly through the leaf litter, a loud Ker-plonk! and a splash drew her attention to the deep, slow creek beside which she had chosen to stop for lunch. Kona was sprawled languidly on a large worn rock next to the water and ripples were shivering away from where he had dropped one of the smooth gray riverstones littering the bank around him. He wasn't facing her, his white and black form turned innocently away, but she could see one of his long dark ear-tufts tilted back in her direction, and his tufted tail gave a flick.

The interruption had completely spoiled the small training session, as now the balauradon had abandoned the dropped food, or perhaps had already found and eaten it, and was now strafing up and down the edge of the water watching the ripples and the red leaves that hung suspended and drifting slowly from north to south in the greenish water.

"Kona, being a brat isn't going to help me get this done any faster. I know you don't like her, but it's not your decision to bring her along or not.”

Deciding to abandon his feigned ignorance, the feathered and furred cat-bird rolled over and fixed Rilana with an incredulous look in his yellow eyes, clacking his beak at her and shaking his wings sarcastically. He didn't need to use words for Rilana to know exactly what he meant.

“You're right, I could have just left her to die instead of taking all this trouble, but it's not her fault some ridiculous human opened some kind of portal right over her nest and got her parents killed.” That wasn't precisely true, as she had seen the Ebon Knights cart off the male creature, but that fact was beside the point. “I do feel a bit guilty, as I'm the one who killed her mother.”

“And yes, I could just turn her loose to fend for herself, but it would only be a matter of time before she hurt someone. Her kind doesn't belong here.” Recalling the hellish, volcanic landscape she had briefly seen, “Unless we can find a volcano.” Unlikely.

Kona gave a long-suffering sort of keening and lifted himself to his paws and talons, stretching catlike on the water-smoothed granite and letting his claws scrape white lines into the rock. He stretched his wings a little and tilted his head questioningly.

“No, as much as I would like for you to fly me home this very night, we have to stop at Ebonfort first.”

The scratching of Kona's claws had enticed the balauradon into the water to try to get at the gryphon, where it floundered about noisily, splashing and snarling, the teeth of both heads bared with intense dislike of the coldness.

Kona was less than impressed, both by the amateur swimmer's efforts and by Rilana's decision to honour the request of the Lord Knight of the Citadel. By all rights, it seemed to him that his Druid had no obligations to meet, in fact had gone above and beyond to assist in saving the lives of who-knew-how-many other knights and civilians, and gone on to fear for her life in the days after for the merest infractions of being foreign and having a bird that liked to bring her trinkets. The gryphon grumbled squawkily and sat back on his haunches, looking around for any sign of the white raven. It liked to wander, gliding ghostlike through the trees and disappearing for days at a time. At first he was certain it would never find them as they continued on their way north-east, but it always returned with a secretive gleam in its eye that Kona didn't like. He was almost jealous of the bird, for it could talk aloud when he couldn't, and when it cackled madly he was certain that he was often the butt of its private jokes.

Wherever it was now, the raven was wearing a pair of white reindeer-leather jesses on its feet that Rilana had made for it. The thin strips of leather made it easier for her to work with the pale corvid, using falconry techniques, and to also signal to any observer that the bird did indeed belong to someone.

Rilana, keeping an eye on the balauradon, rifled through her loaded pack until she found the thick sealed parchment that was the summons from Lord Svarak. She hadn't opened it, of course, but checked for it often, letting her fingertips slide over the smooth paper while she considered her mixed feelings. It would be all too easy to tell herself that she owed nothing to these southlanders and was well within her right to head home. But on the other hand she was curious about the things Lord Svarak had said. He seemed quite arrogant, but he also seemed to know something that might offer an answer to her own suspicions about Frigmount and the state of magic in the world. He had also named her “envoy”, which was a puzzle in itself. She doubted she would ever be the first choice as ambassador from Frigmount of Ebonfort, but she did not wish to poorly represent her people, and wanted to find out what he had meant by that. Then there was the matter of the huge charr's unique crystalline sword.

With a sigh, she slid the letter back into her bag and began to pack up. It was time to be on the move again. The walk to Ebonfort was only a few more hours and she wanted to reach it by nightfall. Kona leaped nimbly over the creek just as his Mistress finished lashing her bow to her pack and lifted the whole thing to settle over her shoulders, wincing at the weight on the damaged side. Arrows, a few less than she had started with, rattled in a quiver on one side. Stooping, she scooped the balauradon, who grawled piteously, into its satchel and let the weight settle on her hip. The baby, now cold and wet, was all too happy to curl up and sleep.

But just before she secured the flap over the top, she noticed that the firefang mouth had something between the teeth. Prying it free and leaving the jaws to snap balefully and then relax with a yawn, Rilana lifted a chunk of onyx up to examine in a shaft of light that trickled down through the trees above. It wasn't pure black, but had a few lines of grayish colour through it. Yet it wasn't the colour so much as the shape that made Rilana lift her pale brows in surprise. The little nubs and bumps in the lump of smooth black rock were so similar to the shape of the balauradon itself that it wouldn't take much carving at all to turn it into a perfect replica of the tiny creature that had found it. Her pale fist clenched around it and she dropped it, glancing up to meet Kona's piercing gaze.

“It looks like this trip south is going to change my life in ways I never even imagined.”

Slipping the rock into a pocket over her deer-hide vest, she reached up with both hands to wrap her arms around Kona's feathery, beaked face, burying her nose into the side of his cheek. It was quiet enough that she could feel his pulse under the tight grip of her fingers, and after a moment or two it seemed that hers slowed to match. When she finally decided it was time to bring Kona to his Mark, she found that the arcane power had already bubbled up within her. Every time she did this it became easier, more natural, and when she drew the gryphon's life-force into herself it only felt like a piece of her soul had come home. Her back tingled and twitched with the huge Mark that she had never actually seen, and when she opened her eyes Kona was no longer in front of her, though the familiar and comforting dusty feathery scent still lingered in her nostrils. In some ways, it was even more comforting than the sensation of him being part of her.

–

The next few hours passed for Rilana in quiet contemplation. There was much to think about, and much to worry over, and she relied on Kona's brash confidence. Even when she didn't agree with him, his own presence encouraged her to take a page out of his book and stand her ground, doing what she thought she ought to do. The balauradon slept, shifting occasionally when the wandering druid was forced to jostle it in her trek over the wildlands. Even this close to the Ebonfort capital, the forests were full of interesting creatures and plants. She came across several of the plants that Trix had told her about and enjoyed a few soft leaves of sweetmint she found growing in the shadow of a mossy oak tree and tucked a few more into a pocket to chew on later. A little while later she stopped for nearly an hour to watch two porcupines gambol about in the underbrush, her face a mask of awe at the rattling spikes of the weird rodents.

But eventually she came across a small dirt path that lead her to the main road between Ebonfort and Green Falls. There were plenty of other travelers on the road, and while most of them were polite enough there were plenty of eyed her curiously, their eyes tainted with suspicion more often than she would have liked. Horsed knights rode up and down the line of travelers, and while they didn't fail to note her at every pass, they didn't stop her, a fact that Rilana was most relieved for. She was polite to anyone who greeted her, but as the dark stone walls appeared on the horizon and grew closer with each step, she lapsed into troubled silence.

Just before the gate, she paused confusedly, observing for a moment as black-armoured knights directed people to either side, until she noted a knight standing in the middle of the path with his eyes locked sternly onto her face. Readjusting her pack and straightening, she moved directly towards him, though her gait was no quicker than it had been all day.

The slender moon fey sensed trouble. Or perhaps it was just that these knights were expecting trouble from her. Her jaw clenched briefly at the idea that they might think so little of her that she might assume another dangerous animal form and pose a threat to these people. How absurd! Once in front of the sergeant, she let her sapphire gaze linger over his face as he spoke. Rilana was obviously well-traveled, but not exactly road-weary.

“Indeed, I am Rilana, and I have Lord Svarak's letter.” She unslung her back and set it heavily in the dusty road at her booted feet, reaching into the top and producing the requested proof. It struck her sharply how different this visit to Ebonfort was turning out versus when she had dropped Bruin off weeks ago. She was just settling the pack over her shoulders when Nidic announced the challenge. "Spar...?"

Rilana's blinked once, her eyes watching the sergeant draw his sword, her ears full of the ringing scrape of metal. Fear clutched her heart for a beat or two, but it was quickly replaced by a cold, indignant fury. How dare he? Kona's silent voice screamed inside her head and she could almost hear his wings flapping and see his talons and beak lashing out against this mistreatment.

The knight's features twisted and blurred into a fierce feline visage, and the intimidating scream put her teeth on edge, but rather than shrug her pack and satchel off and dart to the side, her mind racing to pick the best form to fight and armed knight, she pursed her lips and her face became a mask of icy resentment, her eyes as cold as the inside of a glacier.

So instead of rising to the challenge, the moon fey stood her ground, be back straight even under the weight of a large pack and a restless baby balauradon, and as she felt the impact of the were-cat's approach shivering up through the ground, she turned her face to the side, a lock of pearly white hair falling across her cheek. She waited for the cold agony of the sword's bite, hoping that the swordsman's idea of sparring aligned with hers.

[Word count: 2889 - 2889/50000]

Sergeant Nidic could see the subtle changes in the woman's eyes. He saw the steely reserve, the lack of movement, not even so much as stiffening up defensively. His sword fell, ready to cleave her from shoulder to hip, when it stopped suddenly, a hair's breadth from her. This gave way to many surprised looks from the onlooking knights, an incredibly impressive feat, considering the weight of the sword and the heaviness of the swing. Nidic leaned past the blade, his breath hot on Rilana's face, as he stared into her eyes, his own annoyed and enraged. He considered hilt checking her in the teeth, just for not taking his challenge seriously. Foreigners needed to learn their place.

But he could see why Lord Knight Svarak was interested in her. Any other knight would've flinched or tried to dodge. She'd stood strong, clearly of a tougher fortitude than most. His annoyance was of course at the smug grin he'd soon be seeing from Svarak. The orders to challenge her had included that if she'd impressed him, then he'd have to pay the Lord ten golds. And clearly he'd be paying the smug Charr. Svarak's less than serious orders were nothing new in the realm, much to the dismay of the more professional officers. But that's who he was, and no one could stand against his strength, not yet at least.

Sniffing at her, smelling a wide variety of animal scents on her, he'd shifted back to his human form and quickly sheathed his blade, while maintaining his close proximity. "Fine, we have work to do anyways. I expect a proper sparring when you've got the time. Follow me." He turned on heel, and began heading into the massive gate house, the crowd parting for him. Off to the side, a couple of lesser ranked knights were laughing, not realizing the were-creature had much keener hearing than humans. He considered just assigning them to something menial, like guarding the latrines. But he didn't have time, nor was he in the best of moods. He drew two of his throwing daggers, the blades between his fingers. A quick flick of the wrist and elbow, and they flew between the crowds, and the hilts collided into the men's temples, causing them to crumple to the ground.

Not saying anything on the matter, he continued through the gatehouse, to the stable just kept inside. It was a large paddock, with a single massive stable house, larger than any of those in the villages, save Scream Watch. Each gatehouse had one, a testament to the importance of the mounts, as well as the size of the capital city. He led her over to two impressive mounts, one that she would recognize. Next to the Sergeant's own ebony colored warmount, was Bruin. "Lord Svarak had him reassigned, a permanent mount, for use only by the Frigmount Envoy, which as I'm told, is you, apparently."

He gave her a moment to reunite with the old friend, having been informed that she was the one that delivered him. He quickly climbed into the saddle, and looked up at their destination, the massive Citadel in the center of the capital. He rode silently, not speaking to his companion. Many onlookers were staring at the Sergeant and Moon Fey, for her kind were incredibly rare, as was a woman so tall and beautiful, especially in such an exotic way. The journey was long, the citadel looming high over them. He led her through the massive, reinforced doors to the interior stables. The entire structure was a final resort bastion, completely self sustaining for a siege.

Leaving his mount with the stable master on duty, "I hope you don't mind climbing steps, Svarak is the only Lord Knight that insists not having a lift to his office." He led her through the massive stone corridors, to the steps up the central tower, belonging to the Lord Knight of the Citadel. They climbed for nearly a stretch, Nidic's legs burning, though he'd never show signs of pain or weakness to this woman. He went to knock on the door, when Svarak's squire opened it, "Took you long enough, I've heard you huffing and puffing for ages now."

Svarak sat behind a surprisingly simple and bland desk, his furry, clawed feet resting atop it. "Welcome Envoy, and Nidic, I believe you..." before he even finished, the Sergeant threw a bag of coins hard at him, before turning and leaving. Svarak just laughed heartily after catching the bag, "Alright, let's keep this nice and simple. I've appointed you as Envoy to Frigmount. You can refuse if you wish, but I do hope you do not. And, should you maintain this position, I've a simple mission for you. In four tendays time, I want you to lead a group of knights and civilians from Stone Crest to Frigmount and back again. This is simply a cultural exchange, as well as sending an Envoy of our own. It might be dangerous, of course, but I think you're up to the task.

So, Envoy, do you wish to keep your position and accept this mission?"

The wind from the strike of Nidic's blade ghosted over Rilana's neck and shoulder, and her throat bobbed as she swallowed down the fear that had accompanied the man's charge. His hot, sour breath filled her nostrils and she lifted her eyes to meet his fierce glare with an icy stare of her own, her pink lips pressed into a thin line. She was not impressed by his display, and more she was furious at Lord Knight Svarak, for he was the one behind this ridiculous display. What a way to treat a visitor! The indignancy burned, but Rilana was determined to remain calm and cordial where those like Sergeant Nidic had failed to do so.

Somewhere within, Khona was having a nearly incomprehensible temper tantrum, begging his mistress to let him out and show Nidic a proper fight. Rilana's shoulder-blades tingled like tiny pinpricks of hail striking her pale skin as Khona's Mark writhed across her flesh. One of these days she would need to find a mirror to see what it looked like.

Nidic's sword slid back into its sheath and Rilana inclined her head. "Fortunately I seem to have many things with which to occupy my time, Knight." He hadn't had the courtesy to introduce himself, and she was unfamiliar with any of the ways she might distinguish his rank, but calling him 'human' seemed only likely to provoke him. She had absolutely no intention of sparring with this man, or any knight.

When the were-cat spun, Rilana enjoyed a moment to breathe deeply and smooth the front of her traveling clothes, letting herself relax briefly before striding after him. Most of her garb was the soft pale leather and light brown fur of reindeer hide, common among her people and well-fitted enough to flatter her shape. She had dispensed with her cloak in these warm lands, but hadn't been given the chance to stop and change into something more fitting for a meeting with some high Lord Knight.

Following Nidic, Rilana didn't know what to make of the chuckles from the other knights. It seemed that they were likely laughing at her for being too cowardly to fight the Sergeant, and while she didn't like being thought of as a weakling, at least she hadn't let herself get drawn up in some pointless barbaric duel. Her opinion of Nidic soured further when he struck his laughing comrades down, flinging them dangerously through a crowd of innocent people. The man was either arrogant or fool-hardy or both.

Consigning herself to the long trek to the Citadel, Rilana found no interest in the parts of the city she saw until they reached the immense stable. A look of approval crossed her face, at least these people treated their mounts well, but she stopped short when she noticed the familiar face of a certain Fjord horse.

"Oh...!" The word was soft, almost soundless, inspiring far more emotion than an incoming longsword at her neck had done, and she lifted her hands as she stepped forward towards Bruin, reaching to touch his soft muzzle and warm cheek. "Can it be you?" The words passed her lips even though it could have only been Bruin.

An awed glance at Nidic, "I hadn't thought I'd ever see him again." Envoy. There was that word, that title, again. Rilana stepped up nimbly into the saddle and moved Bruin to follow Nidic, leaving the reins across the horn of the saddle so that she could steer him with only her knees. She felt a flutter of satisfaction and pride in that the beast remembered his training, and was relieved that at least in the weeks since she had seen him he appeared to be hale and hearty.

The journey on horseback proved to be somewhat nerve-wracking. Rilana doubted she would ever get used to being stared at, and had a difficult time deciding if the faces she passed were full of simple curiosity or open dislike. Once inside the doors of the Citadel, Rilana found herself looking at a structure that had been built from the ground up to be completely isolated from the world outside and still survive. Humans here had created something that stone and ice had done for Frigmount long ago. Certainly there were secret ways to infiltrate the Moon Fey city if trouble came, but it would not be easy.

As they wound their way through the city, a white bird trailed along, floating on the breeze some distance back. It did not enter the Citadel, but alighted on the wall and waited, preening its feathers and keeping a watchful eye out for any bored watchmen eager for target practice.

Rilana was reluctant to leave Bruin after such a brief reunion, but patted his neck farewell to follow Nidic up the infinite steps.

Let me out and I'll fly you to the top!

It was not an easy climb. And at one point she slipped after setting her foot wrong on the next step, stumbling and striking her knee painfully on the dark stone. But she didn't cry out, and after pausing long enough for the first bite of pain to ebb away, she continued in Nidic's wake, her face stoic, though her pale cheekbones burned brightly.

The inside of Svarak's office seemed dim after the brightness of climbing the outside of the tower, and Rilana blinked and reached up to tuck an errant tendril of hair behind her ear as her vision adjusted, eyeing the squire before finally turning to observe the Lord Knight himself. Perhaps it was the turmoil of the day that had dampened her spirits somewhat, but Svarak wasn't nearly as impressive today as the day she had met him. Thankfully Kona was silent about the way her belly tightened as she looked at him. And she was saved from stumbling over her words by the Charr launching into a speech of his own.

Somewhere in the middle of his explanation for her summons here, Rilana took it upon herself to sit down on the edge of his desk, crossing one long leg over the other. It seemed unlikely that an invitation would be forthcoming, but the Moon Fey woman had had enough. She was tired, she had hurts that had not yet healed, and she saw no reason to remain on her feet. She pulled the slightly squirming satchel into her lap and folded her hands across the top of it, listening attentively, though the occasional half-masked scowl disturbed her porcelain features.

There was a long pause when he finished speaking, as though she was expecting something more. When she did speak, her irritation was evident in her face, though she kept a civil tongue and tone in her reply.

"I'm honoured that you would think of me for this task, Lord Knight Svarak, though it occurs to me that it might not be within my authority to accept. I am not sure that my own people would appreciate their Envoy to Ebonfort being selected by you on their behalf." By which of course she meant that she didn't appreciate it either. "As I'm sure you are well aware, I was sent only to deliver a single horse, not to represent my people in any official capacity. It might happen that my Elders reject your choice and select someone far better than me to fill the roll as Ambassador."

She paused to breathe then, lowering her eyes for a moment from the face she found simultaneously alluring and intimidating, summoning up some reserve of inner strength to keep going. "It also occurs to me that it seems to have been quite a long time since on of my kin has appeared in the South in any capacity." An oddity with which she didn't doubt he knew something about. "So this is not a refusal. I can not accept the title you give me because frankly, I do not think it is yours to give. But I would be willing to lead your delegation through the Frostfell and back, if only in the interest of preventing loss of life and reopening the road between our peoples."

The baby balauradon offered a muffled grumbling and shifted about in the sack.

"If you find that arrangement agreeable, I ask only that you instruct your knights to respect my instructions on the way. The Frostfell is more dangerous than you know." Something blue and sparkling caught her attention and she tilted her head slightly glance briefly at the crystalline sword the Charr had carried on the tourney grounds. "Or perhaps not."

[Word count: 4321/50k lol ]

Lord Svarak smiled at her annoyance, listening patiently as she went on and on. She certainly didn't enjoy being the spotlight, he used to be that way, many years ago. His grin continued to grow, loving the edge in her voice. She clearly despised being controlled and manipulated. "The Elders already agreed that the first Moon Fey to reach the Capital would be made ambassador. Though that was a few centuries ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. And there might be new Elders now, but the word of the former ones still holds." He let that sink in, for he knew it would be quite surprising for anyone that knew the basics of his race. The oldest of his race lived to be about a century, and yet here he was telling her that he was alive before the Death of Magic. And he wasn't old and decrepit, but as young and strong as any of his race could be.

"And yes, it has been quite a while since your kind has been south, just over three hundred years." Again, he didn't bother to explain further, enjoying this verbal cat and mouse that only he seemed to be playing. He heard the critter stir within her satchel, and smiled, getting up from his seat and moving around the desk, closing the proximity between the pair. He didn't ask permission, before deftly reaching into her satchel and scooping out the little critter, holding it with both hands gently, in such a fashion to keep the heads out of reach of his fingers, while also not hurting him. "It's growing quite quickly. Does it have a name?"

He continued to hold and pet at it, seemingly uncaring that it was incredibly dangerous, "I must ask again, since I know for a fact that you do have the authority to accept the position, even if you don't know this. Do you wish to be the Envoy for Frigmount? I know the dangers and responsibilities that come with such a duty, as I am the previous Envoy from Ebonfort. Back when I was barely out of my squiring. And one of our lesser known laws, really more of a guideline, but followed as if it were a law, states that all official Envoy Expeditions are under the strict leadership of the Envoy. Technically even I'd have to listen to you."

He looked up from the critter after just barely escaping one of his fingers from the firefang. There was just a moment of pain in his eyes, "Yes, I am well aware of the Frostfell. However, I'm sure the mountains have changed quite a bit since I was last through them." He smiled, though a bit half-heartedly this time, knowing that every Moon Fey was drawn to his sword, and none ever knew why. She'd learn soon enough, if she accepted the role of Envoy. At least she accepted the mission regardless.

"What do you say, Rilana Aurorime'? And no matter what you answer, we'll outfit you with supplies and you'll have authority to lead the expedition." He handed the little critter back to her, studying her response, waiting to see if she'd bombard him with a myriad of questions.

The wider Svarak's grin spread as Rilana finished speaking, the less she enjoyed the conversation. She was irritated by Svarak's smug expression, but rather than wanting to continue this verbal sparring she was finding it difficult to not simply take her leave and be done with both Svarak and Ebonfort entirely.

And she certainly didn't take his words at face value. When he casually implied his considerable age, her eyes narrowed, but she didn't dispute it. Nor did she move when he stood and drew closer, his paw-like hands reaching for the bag in her lap. Her pale fingers clutched at the tough leather, not so much to stop him as simply out of protectiveness over her charge, but after a moment of stiffness she relinquished the satchel and simply watched with the suspicious glare of a mother hen.

Maybe he'll kill her and save me the trouble, Kona half-joked.

If he wanted it dead he would have killed it on the tourney grounds.

It would serve him right if he got bitten, though.

For a moment both Rilana and Kona were in complete agreement.

"I'm sure she'll tell me her name, in time," Rilana shrugged her slender shoulders, her tone cryptic. She would have loved nothing more than to sit and chat about the strange two-headed creature to Svarak, but obviously that wasn't on the table for today. Her gaze trailed from the baby balauradon to Svarak, tracing the feathered hair of his mane and the horns that framed his ears. The Charr's words sounded reasonable...

He's lying.

Of course he is. But about what? In a noble attempt to give the benefit of the doubt, Rilana considered that maybe the suspicion that was jangling on her nerves was simply because there was obviously much more to this than what the Charr was saying rather than any overt lie in his words.

It was all very difficult to believe, and Rilana fully intended to get the whole story from the mouths of her own Elders. If only Lady Myra, her friend and employer, wasn't so very far away! Strangely, the most fantastical tidbit of what the lion-Charr claimed, was what she trusted. That he had been alive for three hundred years or more.

I'm sure that's a fascinating story. The tone was sarcastic.

...too bad this isn't a social call. He doesn't seem the type to appreciate personal inqueries.

Why should you give a damn what he appreciates? Him and all his beetle-shell knights haven't exactly welcomed you. Kona thought the knights looked like bugs in their carapaces.

It was true, she had to admit. As time passed the back-and-forth between Rilana and her overprotective Familiar was getting easier. Outwardly, her expression was calm and thoughtful. Kona was suspicious. Rilana might have even thought him jealous of the way the Lord Knight intrigued her. But he sensed danger and the Druid was learning to trust his judgement, even if he was a sassy little shit.

Did he just say even he'd have to listen to you?

He did. That would be a nice change of pace.

You'd like that, wouldn't you? Kona was bristling jealously in the back of her mind.

A ghost of a smile drew Rilana's lips out of their thin line into an expression of almost regretful amusement as her eyes met Svarak's.

If he was going to be part of this expedition he would have no use for me, she pointed out. And that was a sobering thought. If Svarak didn't want her to be an Envoy would she have met with death at the city gates instead of a ridiculous sparring challenge? Part of what frightened her so much about this place was not knowing how much danger she was in just for being an outsider.

The Moon Fey didn't answer Svarak right away. When he offered the balaurdaon back to her she stood up, scooping it into her arms and reducing the space between herself and the Lord Knight even more. Tall as she was, Svarak was still a towering wall of armoured flesh in front of her and anxiety knotted in her belly until she brushed past him. She really shouldn't feel a flutter of satisfaction just hearing someone say her name.

Her slightly limping steps didn't carry her far. Only to the closest window to look out of, as thought something in the sky or clouds would help her think all of this through.

It bit him! Kona crowed triumphantly. The tiny creature had scored some points with the gryphon today. Rilana stroked her fingers over the soft, rounded bumps on the infant armour that plated the small beast. It curled itself against her chest and half-snoozed blearily, the muzzled vilemaw staring out the window while the firefang head watched Svarak.

It was tough to imagine that the Elders would have agreed to such a risky proposition. The first Moon Fey to reach Ebonfort? How could that have turned out to be her? She was the last person who should be responsible for acting as the representative of her people.

Lady Moira wouldn't have sent you if she didn't trust you. The gryphon argued.

She sent me because I am the one who trained Bruin. It only made sense for me to be the one to bring him here.

Are you sure that's the only reason? Don't forget that someone here sent the request.
Rilana was so shocked at Kona's remark that she felt the floor had dropped out from under her. She looked stricken, and reached out to steady herself with a pale hand on the dark stone that made up every building as far as the eye could see.

The Druid felt overwhelmed in even the bustle of Frigmont and hadn't known a single good night's sleep in these southern lands, puzzled and terrified as she had been by the politics of knights and the stern laws they upheld. Now she felt as if she were embroiled in something even farther-reaching, something that included even her icy homeland. Something to do with magic and the Frostfell being gone...

She didn't want to be the one to bring strangers to her city, and she didn't want to have to apologize to the Elders for accepting a title awarded to her by a stranger.

But the expedition will leave Stone Crest, with or without you. Wouldn't it be best to keep a watchful eye?

Curse you, yes.

It would add weeks to a journey that might only take her one or two on the wing, but Kona's strange wisdom decided the matter for her. She turned to Svarak, fiddling with the satchel until she could stuff the somewhat recalcitrant balauradon back inside. She then leveled her azure gaze at him, making her way back to the wooden desk. Reaching a decision didn't seem to have brought her any comfort, and there was something weary in her eyes now.

"I accept. I will do my best to get the delegation there in one piece, and unless I am expressly forbidden I will bring them back again."

[Word count: 5464/50k]

Svarak's smile lessened to a thin line as he watched Rilana struggle with the inner turmoil of this decision. At least she seemed to understand the responsibility of this position. Just as he'd been with his current ranking, he was quite reluctant to take the mantle. After all, he'd just wanted to test himself against someone he thought to be stronger than him. He never thought it would lead to this nightmare of an office. Perhaps that was a slight exaggeration, but he truly despised paperwork. And finding worthy people to fight was rare. None of the other Lords ever tried to challenge him, and the Wardens always went after them, knowing him to be the strongest. Boredom was horrible, especially for one his age. Sometimes he considered giving up this gift of longevity, but he'd not yet completed his mission that came with it. Soon it would.

After hearing her finally accept, "Good, and I have utmost confidence in you, and the others that will be joining you. My squire here, Tomas, will accompany you. He will assist you in gathering any supplies you deem necessary for the trip, both for yourself and the expedition. There is no limit to the budget, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you to only take what is necessary. Leave the riches to the merchants once this expedition returns successfully. The expedition is to leave on the 45th from Stone Crest. Tomas will ensure all the arrangements for the supplies to be ready and waiting there for you and the others. He also has the list of the Knights that will be accompanying the expedition, all of whom have been handpicked for certain skills. There will be some civilians joining as well, but we won't know for sure who until the departure date comes closer. If you feel the need to change anyone on the list, or remove, or add I suppose, just tell Tomas. He will answer any of your questions from here on out."

Now speaking to the squire directly, "And he will not crowd or pester the Envoy." The squire nodded, gathering up his satchel of what sounded like paperwork. And with that, he sighed and returned back to his chair, his personal prison from the excitement of the world out there. Maybe he would join them, it would be fitting, and Frigmount was quite beautiful. And, well, her brother was dead by now. His face dropped sadly at the memory, "I look forward to seeing how you do with this, Envoy Rilana."

The human squire led the way out of his patron's office, and moved off to the right, the stairs to the left, "Don't tell anyone about this, I mean it." He pushed in on some of the stones, and the wall swung open silently and effortlessly, revealing a metal cage hanging from a very thick rope. He stepped inside, "Much better than walking down the stairs." Once inside, he'd pull a lever, and the elevator would begin descending, kept lit by glow crystals, as it plunged into the depths of the Citadel. Once at the bottom, it opened up through yet another hidden wall, at what appeared to be a pointless dead end corridor.

"Alright, we have four tendays to get this worked out. We can start at your pace, on your time. I'll be around, taking care of other arrangements. Anytime you need me, simply show this to any Knight, and ask for me. When you leave the capital for Stone Crest, let one of the Knights at the gatehouse know, and I'll be along shortly." He handed her a sash, similar to what the officers wore, often on the upper arm of the weapon hand, but this one was a shimmering silver. It appeared to be some sort of blend of metal and cloth to the eye, but was incredibly soft and delicate feeling. Further inspection would find it to be as strong as metal however. They arrived at the internal stables once more, and Tomas walked right over to Bruin, petting him, as if the two knew one another. "I spend a lot of time down here, he didn't have much to do until he was reassigned. Do you have any questions for now, or need me to get started on anything immediately?"

When their exchange finished, he left her to her own devices. A page had approached with a bag of horse feed, and began feeding Bruin and other nearby horses. When he got close to Rilana though, his mannerisms changed, becoming a bit stiff. He turned to her, and in a strained voice, as if he were attempting to not speak, "Don't take the mountain passes. It is death." Once he'd finished speaking, it seemed as if he'd returned to normal, and went back to feeding the horses. It didn't even seem that he knew he'd spoken, or that anything at all had happened.

While she listened attentively, the Moon Fey straightened her back uncomfortably, as though the weight of the responsibility Svarak was charging her with was a physical burden settling heavily on her slender shoulders. The Charr's proclamation of confidence did little to ease the trouble that lurked behind Rilana's eyes. She continued to watch him as he sat down, curious and thoughtful, especially at the melancholy look that crossed his face. But perhaps she imagined it.

Rilana's piercing blue gaze settled on Tomas, whom she'd previously failed to acknowledge and watched him get up with his rustling satchel, and if out of nothing more than her desire to find her way out of the Citadel and away from the Lord Knight, she didn't hesitate to follow until she was right at the door. Turning back, her lips pulled up in a smile, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes, "We shall see what happens, Lord Knight. Oh, and next time you want to force me into a sparring match, challenge me yourself."

The Moon Fey had little to say to the young squire, listening to him with the empty face of someone who was replaying her previous conversation over in her mind. It was how she tended to look when Kona was pestering her, but for now the gryphon was silent, his presence a simple attempt to comfort her while her emotions vied tempestuously with her infantile sense of duty.

She was more amused by the existence of the lift than curious about how it worked, though blaming the long ride down to the ground level was a convenient thing to blame the flutter in her stomach on. The sight of Bruin was a welcome relief and her opinion of Tomas improved when he moved to touch the beast kindly. She tucked the thing into the front of her soft deerhide vest and pursed her lips.

"I'm sure I will think of much in the next few days but I am weary now and need to rest so that I can apply myself properly for the journey at hand. I will want to meet the knights who are to accompany me before we leave. For now I will tell you that whatever dry rations you expected to bring, double it. The weather in the Frostfell is colder than you can possible imagine. Invest in wolverine fur, it's one of the few animals that does not gather frost."

Before she left to find a place to stay (since none of the Knights had bothered to extend that modicum of hospitality, as Kona was quick to point out!) she briefly imparted a basic knowledge of surviving in the cold and the existence of such things as snow-shoes and snow-goggles and a few other things.

Enjoying a moment with her horse, bolstered, if only somewhat, but the knowledge that he would be with her again, Rilana was completely taken aback by the strange behaviour of the page. Certain that she would shatter under the strain of any more strangeness, Rilana fled into the city, followed by the ghostly flight of a white raven.

Skills
Animal Husbandry: 2
Bodybuilding: 2
Familiary: 1
Herbalism: 1
Intimidation: 1
Investigation: 1
Leadership: 1
Negotiation: 2
Observation: 3
Rhetoric: 3
Riding (Horse): 1
Socialization: 3
Wilderness Survival: 1

Knowledge:
Animal Husbandry: Rewarding Accidental Behavior
Contact: Sergeant Nidic
Sergeant Nidic: Is a Were-Cat of some kind
Sergeant Nidic: Is Aggressive
Sergeant Nidic: A Challenge for A Future Spar
Bruin: Assigned for Use by Frigmount Envoy
Bruin: Remembered His Training
Suspicion: Frigmount Elders Made Her Envoy?
Suspicion: Svarak is Much Older Than He Appears
Svarak: Has Visited the Frostfell
Mission: Plan and Lead Expedition to Frigmount
Warning: Don't Take the Mountain Passes. It is Death.
Citadel Location: Hidden Lift to Svarak's Office
Contact: Tomas, Svarak's Squire
Tomas: Tends to Horses Well

Other
Lump of Onyx
Sweetmint Leaves (handful)
Temporary Companion: Tomas, Svarak's Squire
Envoy Sash, made of Silver Spider Silk