eachdraidh | Video - Seelie locked - Forward-dated to the 3rd

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Video - Seelie locked - Forward-dated to the 3rd

I'm back!

[Sigrid has bathed and washed her hair and polished her skin and everything is braided and tucked and in place as she sits before the locket, sitting like a lady instead of a girl.]

I'm in Caer Glaem and I have presents for a lot of people. Treun is a wonderful city and I will go back, and not only for business. Let's see...

[She looks at something off-frame, ticking each item off on one hand by tapping each fingertip against her thumb.]

Sansa, Gendry, Arya, Jon Snow, Lancelot, and Fili, I've got presents for you all from Treun and I want to see you. But!

[She smooths herself out and looks a little more formal.]

I am Sigrid of the House of Dale. We didn't get any new alliances in Treun, but we've got something just as important happening.

[She can't help the smile that breaks out.]

Before the envoy was sent, Treun was struggling to trade with Caer Glaem. You and I, shardbearers, can use the fairy rings to travel safely from here to there and back, but those without shards cannot. Treun is a hub of trade--traders come from round the world and their goods ship along the Road of Eithne to Cothromach, and from there across the mountains to Caer Glaem. As you know, most of the major battles of the war in the last few months have taken place along the Road of Eithne, making it very dangerous to travel. We have been on the brink of losing trade not only with Treun, but with all those who come by the Road of Eithne--the eastern world, more or less, and a great many by sea.

With the Council of Treun, it has been agreed [her smile splits into a grin] that a new road is to be built south of the fighting that will allow merchants from Treun to travel safely not only to Caer Glaem, but to the western world.

Trouble is, I need people to help build it. I've got three lovely earthbenders who'll work it through the mountains, but we'll need as many as possible to help make this safe path happen for the merchants. The monarchs will supply most of the laborers, but I need foremen. People who know what looks wrong, mostly. We don't even have roads in Lake-town, so I'm not much good there. Oh--there will have to be a bridge over the river.

...Thank you. For listening, even if you can't help.

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[Sigrid shakes her head.]

She's a lovely dog. Erm. Do you want to walk with me?

[ Lancelot blinks a moment, opens and closes his mouth as he tries to process the question. Walk? Well-- ]

... Forgive me, but may I ask what this is about? If you are to -- bring up what we discussed before, I admit I would rather we talked privately than publicly. Please.

[Her face falls.]

I...wasn't, really. I mean--I know something happened that I didn't hear about, but...I don't need to hear about it now, either. Not unless you need that. I was just going to tell you whatever it is, you're the bravest man I've met in the whole Drabwurld. And.

[She opens her hand and passes him a cool, heavy object. It's a pendant, a wingless Eastern dragon carved from a single piece of jade and hanging on a black cord, flat enough to wear comfortably even under clothing.]

[ Lancelot presses his lips together, swallows and adjusts the dog in his arms as he frees a hand for her. The shape of an Eastern dragon is unfamiliar to him, and he tilts his head at it before raising his eyes back to her. What is it he does not know he is Jon Snow right now.

Asking is probably rude. Oh my god Lancelot you can't just ask someone what their present is. ]

I hardly think I deserve such praise. Will you... come in, please? Sit, perhaps?

[ He steps aside for her, crouching to set down the dog at last who shakes herself and considers the two of them cautiously. Should she keep an eye on them? She thinks yes. Just in case. ]

Edited (missing word) 2014-10-02 22:21 (UTC)

[Not all dragons in Middle-earth have wings, and even the ones without are horrible to hear of. But he doesn't seem to understand, or catch the meaning in her gift. Her eyes are downcast as she comes inside.]

Dragons are...sometimes, in my world, or among Men anyway, dragons are a symbol of a mighty house. Or a mighty heart. There's nothing fiercer than a dragon.

[And explaining a symbol is rather like explaining a joke.]

[ Oh it's a dragon. Where are its wings, though? Dragons have wings? The great dragon had wings, he remembers --

Anyway don't question the dragon maybe some dragons cannot fly. Perhaps it is a dragon of Drabwurld? ]

It is so in Camelot also. The dragon is a symbol of my king's household.

[ See look he knows about dragons! Just not wingless ones. ]

You are kinder than I deserve, you did not have to bring me anything.

Least I could do. You faced Reynard twice. There's a lot of people who think themselves very brave and very selfless who haven't done a quarter of what you've done. What's their excuse, do you think?

They have more sense than I do.

[ Lancelot crosses to a side table and carefully sets down the pendant, picks up a bottle and frees the stopper to fill two glasses. ]

I learnt a harsh lesson about Reynard the first time. We barely escaped with our lives. I did not volunteer to intercept the prisoner transport. I informed someone else of the importance of it, suggested they tell Ridire. The mission was returned back to me because they could not go. I had a more concrete plan, but I was dissuaded. Encouraged to work with the Unseelie.

[ By various people. He turns and holds out a glass to her. ]

The change was our undoing. The Unseelie did not trust us, and we were made as soon as we snuck into Maupertius with them. I bought time for most of the others to flee but Reynard captured me and held me for a week or so, along with another of our number and one of the Unseelie.

[She takes the glass, but she doesn't drink. She watches him quietly, eyes wide with interest but not shock. A little surprised, maybe, that he is telling her what happened. And she thinks, at last, that something happened to him while he was held there. And she has to ask, because it's there, and she can't resist.]

What did he do to you?

[ His eyes flick away at that and Lancelot downs a good amount of his drink. ]

Nothing you would enjoy hearing.

I'm not here to be entertained.

[She sets her glass aside and holds her hands out to him.]

Come here.

[ Lancelot hesitates, uncertain of her intention, but sets down his glass all the same and steps toward her. His trust is still unsteady, even if he knows it was not a deliberate act to discomfort him the sharp push of questions despite his discomfort have left their mark. He takes her hands, wariness evident in his caution. Where once his touching of her was easy now it is as if they are less than strangers. As if her touch might burn, cause his invisible bruises to flare once more. ]

It is not a matter of entertainment, Lady Sigrid, more of delicacy. Such things are not pleasant for anyone to hear, least of all yourself.

I told you I don't need to hear it unless you need to say it. Just tell me no. Sometimes I come on strong, but if you say no, I'll stop. Any time I've made you uncomfortable or I ask a question you don't like, say no.

[She gives his hands a little squeeze.]

[ He feels at once warmed by her touch and rankled by her words, frowns a little as emotions war across his features. Lancelot wants to trust her, but it still disquiets him. His voice is quieter, wary as he speaks up again. ]

You forget, you instructed me before despite my wishes.

[She'd been realizing that, slowly, and a flush comes at once to her face when he says that. She's the last person he wants comforting him. That's all she wants to do now, and he...didn't even want her to come in the first place. He hadn't been telling her to rest because he was concerned about her.

She lets go of his hands, unable to look him in the eye.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I'll never do it again.

[She's blinking quickly, but she's not going to cry because she hates it when people act like someone else's pain is really about them. How many people had wailed at the wake about how they didn't know what they would do without her mother?]

[ Lancelot lets out a sigh as she crumbles, at once a touch relieved to see her display shame and guilty to have had a hand in it. ]

You did not know how thin the ice you were treading.

Edited (missing word) 2014-10-03 01:01 (UTC)

[She shakes her head, a fingertip flicking away the only tear that manages to escape. It is the last one.]

I was scared, and I always have to control everything especially when I'm scared. 'Cause if I don't control everything, nothing gets controlled, sometimes. Or--I've always had to think so. And I know I go too far sometimes, but I always think going too far is better than not going far enough and someone getting hurt...and this time going too far was what hurt, and it didn't even help me. I will stop if you say no, every time you say it again, no matter what, and I mean it. Even if I think it's important, if you say no, I'll know I've gone too far.

[ And this time? This time he believes her. He reaches out and takes her hands again, gives them a slight squeeze. ]

Then I forgive you.

[And then she can meet his eyes again, tightening her hands around his. Her cheeks still burn, but she nods mutely, fairly sure she's going to spend the rest of their lives trying to make this up to him. Because the mistakes you make at fifteen are the ones you are most certain at the time are the most world-shattering ones.]

You are brave. I think that even more now.

[ He lets out a weak sort of self-effacing huff at that, drops his eyes away. Part of him wants to reject that again but to continue to do so would be ungracious. ]

Thank you, you are kind to say so. I hope I can live up to such praise.

You already have. That's why I said it. You can't take the blame for other peoples' failures. One person can't do everything. That's why there's more than one of us.

[ In his eyes, though, failed at tasks set for him. He had to flee. He cannot be called good or brave. He releases her hands and drops to a crouch to scoop up the puppy, adjusts her in his arms and glances between her and Sigrid with a small smile. ]

My dear friend here is the bravest. She is the reason I made it back to Caer Glaem at all. If anyone deserves praise it is her.

There's enough of it to go round. [She holds out her hand to introduce her scent to the dog.] I'm very grateful to you, [she says to her,] for saving my friend.

[ The puppy squirms in Lancelot's arms, curious now, and sniffs at her fingers before licking at them a little -- eyes lifting to study her face. ]

I think you can count that as a thank you.

[ He shifts the puppy to hold her a little more securely as she tries to wriggle again, scritching behind one of her ears. ]

And thank you of the gift, too, for thinking of me.

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Video - Seelie locked - Forward-dated to the 3rd

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