Anarion

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Tristan and Robena

"Merlin?!" The Lady Sandsfern's scoff is quick and incredulous. Whatever her loss to Robena, it has not seemed to dim her energy nor the lustre of that fiery hair, and you'd swear there is steam coming off her as she breathes disdain. "You'd give that two-bit charlatan the time of day? Please. Even if he could make a true soothsaying as opposed to sending the woman haring off for his own reasons on a flimsy excuse, how would you know whether his prediction wasn't precisely meant to lead them to combat this day?"

She turns and puts a reaffirming hand on Robena's shoulder. "Sir Robena called to drive Uther's retainers from the land and you say to her 'here's a party of them in front of your nose. Like as not cursed. Ah, but they were kind to me today, so not them, never mind, why did I even mention them?' Is that the truth of it or are you just showing your cowardice, boy?" Sandsfern's eyes burn with passion and her voice cares not one whit who overhears you. Perhaps she invites the confrontation with her challenge.

How do you both respond?

Constance

"A dragon?!" Merlin's eyes go wide and he coughs, once, twice before recovering himself. "Dragons got us into this mess and you want to find another one? Sea and stars woman, are you entirely cracked?" The black and white fur rises on Cath Palug's back and she hisses in your defense, and indeed you have not been spoken to with such disrespect in years. Not since you were a small child found by your family by a shattered pot of honey with a sticky hand. But then, perhaps that's the point and Merlin seeks to throw you from your course with his outburst. Does the wiley old seer know more than he's letting on? Perhaps you ought to press him. Or at least call him on his disrespect. Cath Palug seems liable to back your next move if it comes to it.

Sunshards

Chen claps with pleasure at the story! Or, she would, but she's still got her wrists bound. It's just, there's a moment while she's learning all about local Buddha adoption customs and the gods who live in them where she kind of forgets all that and her eyes are sparkling and her arms flex and pull at the bonds and she realizes she can't move and twists her whole body instead and finally settles for a very very faint sound from tapping the edges of her fingers against each other that's sort of like clapping.

Chen's voice pitches up a little as she's talking through the story for herself. "Oh, that's so sweet! I really like how people get to choose what's best for them each year! I hope that most people are realistic about it, oh do you get any training for how to pick your Buddha so you don't get stuck in over your head? Oh gosh, maybe I could visit for New Years sometime, oh I'd love to make a painting of everyone combing through the beach picking out their Buddhas for the year!"

Chen lets silence settle into the car for a few heartbeats, her eyes looking upwards at the velvet ceiling of the fancy car, or at nothing at all while the scene plays out in her head. Elkibrant and Vogodoris are too polite to interrupt a Princess engaged in that sort of fantasy. It's how you can tell that they're gentleman thieves and not rude interrupting thieves with no respect for anyone else's heart. Which is a lucky thing for them because rude thieves wouldn't get any business from Princesses, whereas they're making a great sales pitch right now.

Presently, Chen focuses her eyes back on them, looking first at Vogodoris, then at Elkibrant, who seems to be the more talkative by quite a bit. "Well, fair's fair," she says, her face still turned up in a slight smile. "Truth be told, your kidnapping was a blessing because I was terrified of being picked up by Princess Kikil, and the technomancer said that she had called her." Chen's whole body does a little shudder when she said terrified and she looks pointedly at both of the thieves. "Kikil's really scary, she has all that old-world knowledge and the big mask with the spike designs at the bottom, and I was worried that she'd make a whole thing out of it and I don't know what to expect from her, which is kind of the scariest thing of all! Compared to that, I'm really not that worried about Yin. She's really loud and has her whole shiny knights and monsters thing, but if she picked me up she'd listen to what I had to say after she'd had her fun and I wouldn't really mind owing her a favor. I mean, she'd ask for a lot, but she's all about showy shining knights and I could do her thing no problem, I'm actually one of the best swordswomen in all the nine kingdoms." There's a little swelling with pride when Chen says that, her scarf even stretches a bit, but she says it in tone that's calm and measured, the confidence of someone who worked really hard and feels proud of that work, not the bravado of someone trying to show off.

"As for who I'd like to be kidnapped by. Qiu, maybe, but we have a prior arrangement, so you probably shouldn't try to negotiate that one with the foxes. Also she's supposed to be my arch-nemesis." Chen sticks out her tongue briefly, again looking at both of them to get across what she think of that. "Maybe Jezara. I've hung out with her a little, but she's never kidnapped me and I'd really like to pet her and have her nuzzle me, which maybe could happen in the right kidnapping, you know?" Chen blushes, but a deal's a deal. Also, this part is way easier than the part she's been putting off and it's much more fun to think about Jezara in fluffy kitty form rubbing up against her than anything else here.

Eventually, she gives a little sigh and settles into her seat, now talking without looking directly at either of her two kidnappers. "Also, you probably know already that Hestia and Ysel are my Moms. So, you can ransom me to them and get a good deal to avoid giving any of the other kingdoms a leg up on us. I'm sure the fox you're taking me to will already know that, and I'd really rather you didn't, but we made a deal and you told a great story, so it wouldn't be fair if I set you up to undersell me. I'm worth a lot if you start playing off the kingdoms against each other." Chen lets out a deep breath that turns into a long sigh and if she were looking at the two thieves, they might see her roll her eyes at the thought of it all.

Another few beats of silence hang over them for a minute, much less joyous than the first before Chen gathers herself and breaks it. "So, who's the fox around here anyway? I didn't know there was one."

Sunshards

Once she has the attention of the two thieves, Chen stays still and makes eye contact while Elkibrant makes his pitch. There's a slight blush when he puts his card in her gag, but he doesn't have that teasing tone in his voice, so it's not the same as if Rose or Qiu were doing it. Just going through the motions didn't really get Chen's heart beating when it was obviously a sincere business offer. Instead, this sort of business arrangement put her in mind of her training and guidance from her Moms. Mom always said never to pass up an opportunity, and these two were, if not trustworthy, at least acting like their motivations were pretty straightforward: make them a better offer than the competition and don't put them at too much risk and they'd do what you wanted. There were plenty of people in the world who just wanted to get their next meal, and at least a few who wanted that next meal to be extra fancy and there was nothing wrong with that if it was what made them happy. Well maybe. Unlike Mom, Mommy always seemed to have some disdain for people who she didn't think really enjoyed what they were doing. Chen remembered her moms fighting about that a couple times.

When the gag comes off, Chen swallows to get the fuzzy taste out of her mouth and looks between the two thieves kidnapping her. "I'll be happy to take advantage of your services if I ever need them. I assume your card says how to get in touch if I need you?" She looks at Elkibrant, who's clearly doing the talking here, but also gives Vogodoris a nod of appreciation for his care. Both her moms always said it was important to make sure everyone felt included in a group.

"I don't know if I should just tell you who I do or don't want to get kidnapped by though" Chen says, a little bit of mischief in her eyes and her smile. "I mean, that's the sort of thing I'd want to know if I were hiring you, so I don't think I should just give it away for free. How about this. I'll tell you which Princesses I'm interested in after you tell me something useful first. Your choice, though if there's time I really want to know about Vogodoris here and how you two started working together. I've met a lot of ancient spirits today and they all seem so interesting!" Chen gives the two of them another warm glance, totally innocent. "Or if we're short on time, you could say who put you up to blocking the road with that herd of sheep."

Chen isn't really sure they did that, but they might not know when she and Rose first spotted them or the range of their skills, so she's ready to try a bluff and watching both of their faces to see if her guess gets a reaction that proves her right.

[If this kidnapping is substantial enough, I'm intending this to be the moment for them to reveal something they hope to gain from Help Me!~~ If not, I could roll either an Entice or Figure Out depending on what seems most appropriate here.]

Sunshards

"Thhhhp!" Chen shouts, bumping and rolling on the suited thief's shoulder with a mixture of fear and almost wild glee. No princess Kikil! No crazy fantasies. She was on some sort of wild adventure instead and Chen could handle wild adventures way better than she could overbearing technomancers and terrifying mask Princesses! (Oh gosh, perish the thought there could be more than one terrifying mask Princess!).

She's not even protesting as loudly as she could. There's the scarf of course, but also the parts of her that are still covered in only thin and revealing silks from Qiu's little costume change are rubbing against this very nice suit and that is some nice fabric. It's very comfortable and Chen is appreciating that she's dealing with some excellent mischief makers today. Mom (Hestia) always warned her against letting her guard down, but being carried by strong arms and pressing into fine clothing was great! She nuzzled the thief's back with one cheek before being tossed into the car like a sack of (softly bound) potatoes.

She gave the thief a pointed look and a "mmmmmm" that said "ungag me this instant you fiend!" without actually using any words, but he wasn't having it, so she settled into her seat. This was nice enough. Chen had actually ridden in a car before. Mommy Ysel had one in Ys for times she felt like getting around in style. Finding the fuel for one was expensive or time consuming, but that just made it all the more grand. Ysel had painted hers a bright sparkling red because it was her favorite color and would occasionally take it out for show. It had struck Chen how easy it was. It wasn't quite as fast as sword-flight (at least for an expert) but it didn't take focus or concentration really, especially for the passengers. It was really hard to transport people using magic. Not as hard as herding sheep (Chen still couldn't believe Rose had done that!) but definitely something that took training and care and required the passenger to pay some attention and not be a problem. A car ride, you could just relax and look out the window.

So Chen did, looking out at the fields and twisting and squirming to get a little bit of a view behind her. That's when she saw Rose, her fence-mending finished suddenly leap into the air, braids flying behind her, sword hilt gripped in her outstretched arm for all the world like a golden eagle about to swoop upon them. Then the car crested past a little rise and Chen lost sight of Rose and the trees behind them as the incline rose up behind her to fill her view with rolling low grass.

Rose was coming for her! Chen blushed and couldn't help bouncing a little in her seat, wiggling her knees back and forth in excitement. This was so much fun! Her new friend was keeping her word, or at least trying to, she wasn't getting swept up into permanent Princess exile, she got to ride in a car, and she was still confident that they'd find Yue and she could turn this into a win! Never give up, never surrender, right? Right!

Trying to settle her beating heart, Chen glanced forwards, towards the driver, looking to see what they were doing and whether there was any sign of a destination before them. The technomancer had said a fox, right? Chen knew foxes a little. Tricky, but her mothers couldn't keep her from learning about them when they were everybody's informants, spies, and cute little fluffers wish granters in a pinch. Chen had been carefully supervised when she met her first fox, not allowed to make any wishes but just to help Ysel negotiate some kind of scouting thing, maybe? She didn't remember it that well because she had stumbled through the words while wishing in her heart the entire time that the fox would understand that she just wanted to be whisked away and maybe tied to a wall in the fox's lair (f-for plausible deniability later) while she was brushed and tickled with all four of those big fluffy tails. ...Chen blushed a lot harder thinking through this.

That wasn't going to get her anything though. She needed to get the driver's attention and get him to start talking so she could figure out what the right play was here. "Mmmph!" she shouted into her scarf, twisting and sliding her legs and her butt across the car seat so she made a swishing sound across the fabric. "Mmph, mmphh!" "Mmphm, hmphhh!" hey, pay attention to me back here!

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Robena and Tristan

Not to be outdone, Lady Sandsfern slams down her own beer. The others in the bar are watching your gathering with awe. Most probably expected one or both of you to crawl off to a room to lie down, or at least to sprawl out on a couch by the fireplace after a fight like that. That you're just sitting at the bar, having drinks, your passion no less dimmed by the exertion seems to have truly awed the patrons. Meanwhile, the barkeep busily fills more mugs and begins her washing, seeing that she's going to sell quite a lot of her stock tonight.

Sandsfern herself is quiet. Her face and the brightness in her eyes says that she has much to say, but if you glance to her, for the moment she offers only a nod and a look to Tristan as to Robena's outstanding offer.

Tristan, what do you say?

Constance

Merlin stands and gathers his hat. It's not graceful, and Cath Palug glares at him the entire time, but he nevertheless comes to you and, placing his hand over your own, opens the box. Inside it is a vial of water, purest blue. Beautiful and so pure that you wonder now whether all the water you've had for the past year, at least, hasn't been tainted.

Then, right here in the road, with Cath Palug pointedly ignoring him while she cleans her side, he tells you a story:

Merlin's tale

Maybe you know a little of what it is to be Merlin. To be never quite human. To have everyone always looking to you, placing their hopes and their fears on you. To be Merlin is to have been alive a very long time and seen the world change and change and change again. To have seen the standards of Rome advance and recede and the tides cleave off land you once knew and carry it away into the sea.

Merlin knew your grandmother, Constance, and saw the sword you hold handed off among your family. A hero's sword, wielded and then returned. There were heroes to fight the Romans, heroes to fight the Saxons, heroes for raiders and heroes in a long-forgotten age when swords were a new idea that could be worked and sharpened in the cold.

When Uther Pendragon was a child, Merlin had a vision that he would aid the old man. You've heard this myth before. Two great dragons locked in combat, one red and one white. The white dragon, representing the Saxons, appears victorious in several attacks, repelling it and hurling it to the ground, biting it viciously. Until the red dragon, representing the Britains, rises up and drives the white dragon from the grounds of their battle.

Only, that's not the story Merlin is telling you. It's the one all the bards say, but the story he's telling is a story in which the white dragon, sensing weakness, pressed its advantage and struck down the red dragon before it could fight back. Or would have, had not Merlin intervened. Foolishly, he stepped between them and was bitten, the white dragon's teeth sinking deep into his ribs and only then the red dragon did as it was meant to and rose up and pushed away the white dragon and drove it from the cave in which they fought.

See now, the penalty for hurling oneself upon fate's hand. For Merlin is wounded and scarred on his chest, and his intervention now keeps Uther Pendragon alive. Uther Pendragon, who with Merlin's counsel united the kingdoms of Britain as high king. Uther Pendragon, whose child is to be the greatest king yet has gone missing. Uther Pendragon, who despite all Merlin's efforts has felt the touch of the grave and banished his servant for his failure. Uther Pendragon, who killed so many whose ghosts have yet to be laid to rest and upon whose touch the land withers.

This is the oldest lesson of Britain, one you already knew. As the King, so the land.

But you did not know that Merlin was holding up the king, or had been. That his sudden rapid deterioration was his own mad doing in banishing his magician to find him a cure. That his magician knows full well that there is no cure to age and that his foolish play to intervene on the side of the Britains has thrown the story into chaos. That perhaps there is no destined wielder for the sword you hold.

Merlin has wandered the land with Cath Palug, who is apparently quite irate at Merlin for ruining her planned fight with the future king Arthur. He's been looking for Arthur, then when that failed, looking for you Constance, and that sword you hold with its promise of heroes.

And now you, Constance, have seen your realms burning and Merlin has no answer for your vision but a sad nod and a deep stare. He didn't find you to pass along his wisdom. He found you to force you to act. He found you because you need to decide what to do with that sword you're holding. What to do in a realm where there may not be a hero and Merlin isn't willing or able to be the one that everyone looks to for what to do.

You have to decide what to do with a vial of pure water from your grandmother's lake, that sprinkled on the handle of your blade Excalibur could allow it to be drawn once more.

Sunshards

"No it is not sorted!" is what Chen wants to shout, but of course she can't because Rose from the River is an expert at bindings and has tied Chen with bindings of memory and nostalgia, far too strong to be broken by even the most valiant Princess. So instead, she strains at her bonds without breaking them, lets out a muffled shout that says "nnnnnmm, iff nntt!" and gives the technomancer an imploring look.

In Chen's mind a thousand different fantasies and terrors play out. She imagined Kikil, arriving with her burrow visage and crackling with lightning while cackling at her new prize. She would string up Chen like a fresh-caught fish and pose with her while doing some kind of victory stance to commemorate the day. Then she'd pull out a magic tracker to attach to her phone, easily pick up Yue and offer the both of them to Qiu to be new handmaidens in training. The very thought of it made Chen burn with shame. The hot and cold alliances would lose so much face! There would be jokes among the princesses and handmaidens about Chen's "demotion" even after she was ransomed, and her mothers would get suggestions to send her back to novice training with the children until she learned how to properly slip a knot. If they didn't just suggest that she quietly go into another career as an artist running a little studio. She imagined handmaidens and aspiring princesses, maybe even the rare countess would come in and she'd collect a few coins in exchange for doing a regal-looking portrait. They'd share some stories and behind her back people would talk about how she was once an heir to two sunshards before pictures of her tied up in her own scarf became everybody's wallpaper. Someone cheeky would even offer double her normal price for her to paint the scene of her delivery to Qiu and she'd toss them out of the shop while blushing the whole time.

Chen was supposed to be imagining her worst nightmares, so why she was almost chuckling to herself instead?!? Here was she, trapped like a sheep with its head in a fence with a technomancer who obviously knew who she was and hoped to get in good with Kikil, and she was smiling at dreams of being humiliated and forced into a new career.

Chen closed her eyes and let out a breath slowly through her nose, the warmth filling the wool and tickling her face. The rhythmic sound of the technomancer chopping pumpkins was relaxing and made Chen think of a spicy pumpkin soup that Princess Ysel would make sometimes. Hestia always said it was too spicy, but little Chen really liked it. Even one time when Ysel overdid it with ghost peppers and Chen had tears streaming down her eyes, she absolutely insisted she was enjoying it. Chen resolved to ask her Mommy for the recipe the next chance she got so she could make it herself.

With a little bit of calm, Chen decided to relax. She had trusted Rose for this journey, and she just had to continue trusting. If not, well, she'd figure something out with Kikil. She knew some things about the demons floating around and their target. Even the technomancer had let something slip about what Princess Yin had been up to, and Chen doubted it was a total coincidence that a powerful ancient huntress was suddenly running around when Yin had been poking around in an ancient waterway. Still though, she had never seen this Rose at Yin's side, which was odd.

Chen stretched out as best she could given the scarf wrapped around her and looked off at the horizon, past the sheeps being herded and to the distant blinking radio towers like giant one-eyed titans. She let her mind wander, thinking about how she'd like to learn more about those too. Her mothers had been so focused in their education that Chen sometimes thought she didn't know anything about the real world because she had spent so long on princess politics and magic. If she got lucky, the technomancer would at least have the heart to offer her some pumpkin and radish soup. Right now, something warm and hearty like that sounded like the best meal in the whole world. Chen did blush a little at the thought of being fed by this woman who was already having fun at expense, but even that would be a little pleasant. She had decided she was going to relax for this, so she would darn well relax!

With that, Chen lay back, settled her neck comfortably on part of the scarf, and wiggled her toes in the grass as she waited for something to happen.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Constance

“Me?” The man barks out a laugh that makes his whole body shake with mirth as he drags himself to his feet. “Perish the thought, I could think of no one less suitable than an itinerant magician cast out from his noble court. No, not me. But...I’m less convinced that it’s not you, at least temporarily. Do you really think that a sword of such nobility has but one destined wielder and a single name? That you are the first such seeker?” He laughs again, this one sharp enough to cut your heart.

Did you know your grandmother, Constance? The one who was a witch of a grand lake. Did she ever talk to you of her life, or tell you stories of the sword you bear?

Robena

The lady Sandsfern was thorough. Your body aches in every muscle, some you had forgotten you had. The last time you felt like this was after a long massage in the baths of Constantinople, and there is nowhere here to melt into a pool of hot water to relax. But the victory is yours and the lady Sandsfern’s respect for your prowess.

“I guess I do” she says. “Your protection in particular” and there is a smirk on her face that shows just one fang and promises much later. She steps over to the bar, where the tavern keep is giving her a dirty look while handing out a pile of silver to...is that Tristan, the monster slayer you met in Lostwithiel? Wasn’t he going on a hunt when you left, what’s brought him here?

Regardless, the lady Sandsfern hands the tavern keep three coins of gleaming gold and the woman’s scowl turns to a grin. “Come back for another match anytime my lady, beer on the house” she nods happily, and the lady Sandsfern beckons you to join her.

You ought to greet Tristan first, then you can tell your lady your story over drinks.

Tristan

It seems you’ve won your bet. It was quite a match, Robena withstanding blow after blow like a great boulder more even than a bear until she cornered the bright-haired lady (Sandsfern, her name was, didn’t she have a keep near Lostwithiel that had been burned down in a fire?). Have you ever seen anyone else fight like that?

The tavern keeper doesn’t really have eyes for you, though she gives you a sheepish grin as reward for your victory along with the coins before turning her scowl to Sandsfern. A scowl that turns right around as you see three gleaming gold coins brought out to pay for the expenses. The lady takes a seat next to you, and the other patrons start spreading back out to a few other tables, a couple slipping out for the evening as well. Robena seems to be coming over as well, and you may have much to catch up on given your adventures.

Sunshards

Chen was just growing relaxed with her routine when Rose sets her down for the sheep and gives her the most undignified pat on the butt. She lets out an "eep" through the scarf and shoots Rose an indignant glare, ruined entirely by the renewed blush creeping up her face and the fact that her wriggling butt is in fact more wriggling than, strictly speaking, is needed to settle herself on the ground.

When Rose then jumps straight to the task of herding the sheep, rather than merely lift the travelers past them and move on, Chen's eyes grow wide and she stares closely at Rose. It's a lesson in movement and style, jumping from point to point, making her presence somehow greater than the whole herd so that they have only a single route to follow. Chen's eyes track her as a practiced learner, taking notes on how she lands, how light she is on her feet even as she asserts herself. Chen wondered if the old world was really like this, though. In her mind, she thought Rose was something special and instead of this impressive showing, the old world probably just had ten knock-off Roses for the same job, each one barely lifting a finger while they stood around under their master's orders. Every time her Mom told such stories, the burrows were always too much heat and excess and it made her feel rather queasy thinking too hard about it.

Instead, her buzzing phone finally gets her attention and she turns to the technomancer and her mask cart. Wait, did she just say that Chen needed a technomancer? Did she think she needed rescuing from Rose? Oh, oh no! Chen squirmed and tried to wriggle to loosen her bonds, squeezing her thighs and then flexing her legs to turn herself in the grass while she wriggled her neck to try and work her scarf down a little bit.

She needed to explain that wasn't what she...did the technomancer just say Kikil?! No! No no no. Princess Kikil was in the cold alliance, but whenever she visited Sourcefall, Princess Hestia always made sure that Chen was at a safe distance and couldn't get anywhere near her. Something about "static discharge" one time, she couldn't remember anymore. But Princess Kikil was scary! She liked to fly around wearing that huge burrow mask that stretched almost to the ground when she was standing. The mask had these spiky tips on its bottom half and jagged red and black painted lines like reverse lightning on them! Now that Chen was old enough to travel on her own most of the time, she did kind of want to get to know Kikil. She thought maybe there was a really nice Princess under the mask and it would be neat to learn more about burrow tech, an area where Chen's education was relatively lacking.

But! Even worse than being scary and mysterious, Kikil was scary skilled at her tech! If she showed up with Chen in this state, pictures would find their way onto the phones of every princess in the world, nevermind Rose's legendary sheep herding. Chen would never live it down, and she was not prepared to be that deep in Kikil's debt for sparing her that fate.

Chen tried to squirm again, stretching her shoulders and wriggling her arms from side to side while shaking her head a little that no she did not need a technomancer, thank you very much! If she could just wriggle her hips and her shoulders a little more, maybe she could loosen the tape so she could start working on an escape and...ah would you quit staring with your knowing phone?!?! Embarrassed at hearing her own name (not noticing in the moment that the technomancer is teasing her) Chen starts getting worked up and struggles faster, straining with all her might (okay maybe not all) to push the tape apart without ruining her scarf, to no avail. She tries to say "I'm fine" but it comes out as "mmphhmm!" instead. Frustrated, she rolls back and forth on the grass and tries to look imploringly over at Rose, who is, alas, busily engaged with some kind of spirit in a hat helping her with the sheep and some kind of car. Oh no, she was on her own here and all she could think about was being strung up in front of Kikil for the entire world as she gets redder and redder.

[Reputation: 1+3+2=6. A downbeat for the MC.]

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Robena

The lady Sandsfern gives a joyous smile that shows off her fangs. "Now there's the Robena I know, the great bear of a woman who thinks she can throw me! None of that dour face you were wearing when you came in here." She laughs, and the deep sound is the mirth of a woman who does not know the shape of fear and has no place for it upon her soul. It is the joy of flowing blood and tensed muscle ready to spring. Though she takes another stance, you can tell that she is not going to simply stay still and wait for your next move. She's going to rush you on your next move and try to match or exceed you in prowess. She's going to revel every time she overpowers you and swell with pride in any move where you throw her balance.

This is not single combat as such, and indeed the lady Sandsfern denies any right you may have to make it so. This is a brawl between two opponents of great strength seeking to know one another through their approach to the conflict. Choose how you approach the match. If you seek to win the match in a decisive move, tell us how and leap into action. If you choose to endure no matter how the fight ebbs and flows, undertake great labor.

Tristan
The tavern owner, careful not to move too fast and distract the two knights, makes her way over to you and leans across the bar, resting her elbows on the surface with all the confidence of owning the place and knowing that one way or another she's going to be paid for every chair. "You know them?" she asks, gesturing to you sipping your beer without picking up her arm. "You sure seem a lot more calm than the rest of these guests, to be enjoying your drink. Care to bet for one? I'll give you two to three odds on the fiery-haired one, up to five silver pieces."

Constance

"Because you!" he raises his voice, and Cath Palug hisses, causing him to pull up short and begin again slowly. "Because...you are holding a very important sword that you are not ready for. Because I made, or will make a promise to your grandmother. And because I am eventually going to tutor a very important king and that won't work out well if this kingdom falls into decay and splinters."

He looks at you, and his hand is still on the box. He doesn't want to take it, you can feel that he wants you to take it. What do you have to say to this man?

He is also quite clearly not giving you the respect you deserve and are entitled to. How does it feel to be spoken to thus, even knowing that this man is likely to become your tutor?

Sunshards

Chen makes a distinct “ffeeep” sound through the scarf pressed into her mouth that is clearly “sheep” with more than a little delight, despite the chaos.

She’s been quite calm during the walk. She had protested at first, of course, a series of attempts to speak through the scarf that should have been “remove this gag immediately, how dare you use Mommy’s scarf like this!” But it had come out more like “ffww brrr uu!” and the way Rose had grinned at how cute she sounded had sent her into a furious blush that strained at the tied scarf and caused her to start swaying on her bindle in a way that felt equal parts precarious and oddly relaxing. Heart racing, Chen had tried to collect herself after that and had allowed Rose to go along her march while Chen got to watch the landscape.

Her delight encountering the sheep was therefore the first noise she had made in a while. Perhaps that’s unusual, but as a painter, a scene like this was the perfect sort of life snapshot that Chen would want to paint later. The knowing look in the older woman’s eyes as she tried to pitch camp and the useless flailing of the younger one as she shouted at the flock that had no fear of her were reflecting pure emotions, the experience of living in the world and Chen was absolutely going to paint that later.

She tries, with limited success to make a gesture to Rose to turn her a little on the pole so she can take in the full view for later. A little straining at the scarf, a turn of the neck, a furtive elbow gesture and another grunt through the scarf all saying hey, spin around a little!

If she were free, Chen’s response here would depend on her errand. If she felt pressured, like her mothers were watching her or she were going to be late, she might fly right past this with an apologetic glance. She’d hate it, hate contributing to the impression people had of Princesses as above everyone else, but she was afraid of disappointing important people in her life, so she would have rushed by regretfully. If she had more time, perhaps on a longer errand where she was expected to spend multiple nights away from home or wandering away from a traveling party, she would have stopped to help. Perhaps she would have used her sword and her magic to help lift the carts past the sheep (her control and precision were very good, though to be safe she might have unloaded the carts and moved the contents separately, then helped the farmers repack them after). One might think that using magic to lift the carts would be the hard way, but it was much easier to work one’s will on objects than on stubborn animals like sheeps, which would refuse to part just as much for Chen’s blade as for the young woman shouting at them in futility.

As it stands now, she is most concerned with taking in the scene, relaxed that Rose will handle the problem. Only in a moment will she realize that three travelers are going to be staring at her trussed up on a pole behind Rose from the River and begin a new round of furious blushes.