005 / Seelie + Unseelie / (Video + Action)

[dragmire]

{ Locket - Video }

[The image shows a hard looking man, dark green of skin and fiery red in beard and hair. The rough lines of his features show his age and a lifetime of hard living, though he richly decorates himself in gold and jewels that adorn his forehead, his spiked crown, and earrings. There was no kindness wrote in his eyes and his bearing was that of a general and a king. Every word he utters is precisely mean.

His is a name that is known throughout the Drabwurld, despite not yet having lived in this world for a full year.]

I am Ganondorf Dragmire, Lord of both Mair and Maupertius. Both I have won through battle and conquest and that alone should tell you all you need know of me. A battle is coming that will make our previous conflicts look like squabbles. In light of recent aggressions within Unseelie territory by Seelie shardholders, I will no longer tolerate Seelie shardholders within my city without my express authorization. I issued this warning once, but now I make it law. All Seelie shardholders will leave my lands or they will be considered spies and be treated thusly. I will allow one week for any such individuals to make their arrangements and leave. After that week, they will no longer be tolerated. Neither Mair nor Maupertius will provide a safe haven for you, regardless of whether you think to claim neutrality to this conflict. Your word is meaningless next to the safety of my people.

Do not trouble me with your objections or accusations. I have no use for them.

{ The City of Mair }

Inside the city, Ganondorf was busy. There might yet be those in the city who could see his preparations, but let them. He had been hard at work. During the days he would drill his soldiers for hours. They were trained in mounted combat, archery, swordplay, and all those skills that were born to the Gerudo warrior. These were his personal elite guard and selected from the soldiers for which is native commanders and lieutenants commanded. They were men and women both, of races of human and elf and dwarf and orc and trowe. They were trained to their strengths and made to be deft of hand, hard of body, and quick of mind. But even that was not the highest honor. When each day's drill was completed, Ganondorf would select among the women the strongest and best of the elite. She would follow him to his tower and then...

Most could not say. All knew not to ask. All that mattered was that the next day, Ganondorf's small force of Iron Knuckles would grow by one. They would become like statues that were given a key part of the city's defense to guard. They did not move and they did not speak, but they waited. They did not train, but all knew that their strength was fearsome to behold. They carried war hammer or battle axe or greatsword and each one was heavier than what any man or woman should be able to carry.

In the city, nothing escaped his notice. It was common knowledge that eyes of Ganon are everywhere. On the tops of buildings, his gargoyles watched as silent sentinels that kept the peace and enforced his law. In the skies above, kargarocs patrolled the skies when they were not busy in petty disputes over a plump pigeon or stray cat. His own agents were elsewhere, always listening. The people knew this and they did not love him for it, though they had also not forgotten the old Lord Magister who had been brutal and cruel. They might not have been watched, but they felt secure behind the walls. Ariadne's builders had made the city strong and Ganon's soldiers had made them fortified. Even mages were paid to enchant the stones so that it could not be so easily breached as it had been when Ganondorf took the city with a few hundred men and his shardholder companions.

Those who sought Lord Dragmire would not have difficulty in finding him. He paraded his soldiers out of the city and into the wide open country outside the walls of Mair. It was important that his presence always be felt, so he often led patrols himself inside and outside the city. Within the castle, he permitted any to come to his audience chamber where justice was dispatched. He kept no council but himself, but he did listen and a shardholder always came first to his attentions. Those who came to the city were treated gently, given rich accommodations, and freedom to explore all parts of the city save for his own black tower in the center of the castle.

Comments

[desperate_times]

Chloe was a lady but she was no lady. She could seat herself just fine. Getting right to it, she uncorked the bottle with a pop and slowly poured his drink.

"Including the entire Seelie army? That's a lot to fend off." In truth, the idea of an upcoming battle made her nervous. She's never actually had to partake in one before.

[dragmire]

He gave an easy shrug as he tasted the wine. For a moment he considered the flavor, then gave a slight nod in approval. "They will not come here. Not yet, at least. I do not doubt they will try eventually, but they will spend their strength on Caer Scima first."

[desperate_times]

"It's a little hard to see how anyone is a winner in all this. As large as this battle sounds, we're all going to be hurting when it's done."

Will there really be a victory? Or will both sides just go back to their dens and lick their wounds until they're ready to do it all again?

[dragmire]

He shook his head. She was right, in truth. Even if the Seelie were repelled, it would be at a great loss to Caer Scima. Whatever Saber's battle plans were, they were only plans. Those sorts of things never went as planned.

"No war is ever fought without some pain. Where will you be during it all?"

[desperate_times]

"I don't really know yet. Right now, I'm just patrolling. When it all happens, it's hard to say."

She wouldn't prefer to be in the thick of things. Chloe certainly wouldn't risk losing something as precious as the Pearl without a really good reason.

[Which Saber has taken care of during the feast log]

"What about yourself? Will you be charging gloriously into battle?"

[dragmire]

"I will lead my soldiers into battle as befits a lord," he answered. "I could do no less than that."

He began to fill his plate from the table, picking out slices of honey baked chicken and garliced bread. There was enough there to have fed many others, had Chloe came with a live crew.

"In this battle, all Unseelie must do their part. But not all will. I will offer you this advice, though. If you seek neutrality, do so in a place of safety. Lord Saralegui and Lady Sansa may claim to be safe places, but they make themselves targets in their weakness. They allow both courts to mingle in their city and invite disaster by doing so. If you wish to wait out this conflict, do so here."

[desperate_times]

Chloe had imagined he would go into battle, but she has a feeling he'll come out of it. He doesn't look like the type that is easily toppled.

As for his advice, it surprises her. She expected more of a speech about how they must all do their part.. or else. Something like that. When he offers his own city as a place where unseelie might be safe, she realizes there's more to him than she first thought.

"Thank you. It's good to know I'm welcome here. I may take you up on that offer."

[dragmire]

His mercies were mercenary. As hard of a man as he could be, he knew that these small favors had to be given. In any case, better she should sit idle here than seek safety elsewhere and lose her shard for it.

"That would please me. When this threat is repelled, I may have further business for you. Together, you could become very wealthy in time."

[desperate_times]

The last thing Chloe intended to do was lose her shard. She would definitely seek a safe place if she had to.

"Well, now you're speaking my language, my lord." She did like to keep busy, and she did like wealth. Her services always came at a price, but Chloe was the type who delivered. "I would be very interested in hearing about this business. Once the current one is finished, of course."

Some of the food was skewered with her fork and she took a bite. If she can manage even a fraction of this kind of lifestyle, she'd be very happy, indeed.

[dragmire]

"I have ambitions to establish a city along the coast. It would provide opportunity for trade with Treun, Leathann, and more. Your ship may not be bound to the sea, but it would be able to pass between Mair and the coast with certain ease. A service like that would be extremely profitable."

It was not perhaps the most exciting work. But the city of Mair was rich indeed and Ganondorf was generous to those who served him well. He saw great potential in keeping Chloe employed in not just this venture, but in keeping her close for others.

[desperate_times]

She ate and paused to drink some wine before responding.

"That does sound like something I would be interested in. Back where I'm from, it was my business to move things quickly from one place to another." She shrugged. "Though most of the things I moved were not exactly considered legal."

Chloe liked his ambition. "You must have heard that there are studies being conducted to create airships. I imagine one day, the Pearl will no longer be quite so unique."

[dragmire]

A smuggler. That knowledge pleased him well enough. She might prove all the more useful if she was skilled at those sorts of activities. He did not need someone inflexible in their honesty. Sometimes he needed someone capable of simply being clever.

"Young Tohsoka is keen on the endeavor, yes. I hope to see her succeed." He had his own ambitions to get his own airships off the ground in due time. If they did not need to fly by his magic, then all the better. "But that will take some time and none shall be like your ship. Nor will they have captains of your particular experiences."

[desperate_times]

Chloe thought he would like to know the specifics of her work. A smugger could come in handy now and again. Sometimes one needed a transporter who had less of a moral compass. Though she would draw the limits at transporting some things, most cargo is fair game.

"I admit, the Pearl is quite impressive, even with a crew of skeletons sailing it. I've been board for several months, so I've learned the basics of what there is to know." And that knowledge is valuable here. "If there was more work to be had with you, I'd be glad to have it."

[dragmire]

"A crew of skeletons must make for dull company, however." Certainly Ganondorf found no pleasure in keeping his undead minions around any more than he had to. "If you agree to the work, I would give you a place in this castle to stay. A room in the tower you arrived in, perhaps. Caer Scima need not be the only place you are treated as a guest of honor."

The invitation was clear. She could live like this, in luxury, as often as she liked. She only had to provide the service he asked for.

[desperate_times]

"They're not a chatty bunch, that's for sure. The crew used to have people aboard, but they've all vanished from this world." Which is a really pity. Those guys were fun.

"Whether I agree or not depends on the work, but I'm sure something can be arranged. I do like it here, as well as the pleasure of your company." And she wouldn't mind spending more time in Mair and around him.

[dragmire]

He smiled wanly. "Much as I enjoy yours, to be sure. I will offer this. Once this battle is concluded, I would have you begin scouting the eastern coast. Find me an ideal location for a city and you will be well rewarded. Any part of the land shall do. If there is a town there already, then it will be no matter. I will raise them from squalor into something far grander."

The east was given to him for conquest and so it little mattered who was already there. They would bend a knee to him or perish for it.

[desperate_times]

She likes the 'well rewarded' part.

"Sounds easy enough." Especially with a ship in hand. It shouldn't take her long to find him a good location. "I'm sure a town could only be so lucky to become as grand as Mair." The people here do live better than those she's seen in some of the more primitive looking villages Chloe has seen.

"I'd be happy to complete this task for you, my lord."

[dragmire]

"I am glad to hear it." He raised his goblet. "To our future success."

May they both grow rich. And I more powerful still.