[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/34ad0XX.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qPe59M.png[/img][/center] [hr] Interacting: Queen Astrid, Snorri [@Force and Fury] Event: Best Served Cold | Location: Meldheim + the Grontempel [hr] While his forefathers may have been great sailors, it didn’t seem to carry through with the camp he’d brought. Drudgunzeans had not been sea born for far too long, and although the rainy weather of his fathers duchy had braced them for poor climate, it did little to settle the shaky hands and sickened stomachs that came from sailing great distances. The journey from Relouse to Meldheim was not a short one, nor an easy one, but they would endure for the sake of their mission. And perhaps it was the long journey that made the arrival into Meldheim so beautiful for the young man. While the many warriors and prisoners were brought to shore, Dietrich took a second to take it all in. The beauty of the stars and the five moons shining upon the jungle of a port was a sight to behold. So rugged. So harsh. Yet, it felt strangely familiar to him. Like a home away from his own. But he couldn’t forget his mission in the face of his nostalgia, so he steeled his stomach from the voyage and walked on land for the first time in far too long, as his brother and the remainder of his troupe began to unpack. A more sensitive man would have waited to let Queen Astrid’s countrymen deliver her the news, but Dietrich was not sensitive. He was bold and he knew that the best time to seize the initiative would be from the get-go. So he spoke, with confidence, even if his proficiency with the language wasn’t as fluent as his Avincian and his accent still came through: [color=Gold]“Your majesty, I bring great news from Relouse, though I believe a dock is a poor place to tell tales of your husband's triumph. It may be presumptuous to ask, but words should suit the locale”[/color] he spoke about as respectfully as he was capable of, First impressions were key and he knew he had to get the news to her first. A degree of honesty between future allies was a recipe for success after all. [color=a187be]“Mm, you’re eager,”[/color] the queen muttered. Small, pale, and black-haired, she had a pleasant, friendly face belied by her bearing and expression. She looked Dietrich up and down for a moment and, evidently satisfied enough, pursed her lips. [color=a187be]“You would be one of the Kressians.”[/color] It was a statement. She knitted her hands before herself. [color=a187be]“Ulf,”[color] she said, directing her voice but not her eyes towards a lanky youth. [color=a187be]“You will show Uncle Kol to his chambers in the kongesalan. Inga,”[/color] she continued, [color=a187be]“You will supervise the unloading of the ships and the preparation of the spoils. If there is not enough, you will go with Hvitserk and retrieve some from the treasury.”[/color] A preteen girl nodded and bowed her head respectfully. [color=a187be]“Snorri, you will come with mother and her Kressian friend. We are going to show him the city.”[/color] She gave her greetings to those familiar with her and promised to catch up later at a feast in the kongesalan. For the time being, however, Queen Astrid merely flicked her eyes Dietrich’s way. [color=a187be]“Come then. I take it you have a name. Tell me of my husband’s newest triumph.”[/color] Ushering her youngest son along, she began walking. Among the curious crowd that had grown about the foot of the pier, a keen eye might have noticed a series of individuals, armed and martial in bearing, moving at a discreet distance in escort. The people gave their queen a very wide berth. Dietrich smiled. He was no stranger to judgment by appearance and although a little scruffier than usual due to the length of the trip, he was still more than presentable. Being cleanly has its benefits. He watched the kids scuttle to their duties, and it brought back flashbacks of home, though it was somewhat odd to him. Ulf, the firstborn, was sent to do a rather menial job, whereas Inga saw to a very practical and fruitful occupation, and Snorri was given the privilege of listening. He didn’t know if he was reading too much into it, but it definitely stuck with him as something that was different. A taste of Eskandr culture, perhaps. Regardless, he began to walk and talk, as was dictated. He was in no place to refuse such an offer. Nor did he want to. [color=gold]”This one’s name is Dietrich of Sturmfeld.”[/color] he spoke, before giving Snorri a friendly handshake and matching pace with the queen. He had sympathy for third sons after all.. And regardless of his armed company, he began to speak. The queen must trust them greatly if they were waiting in the wings, though it made the walk slightly more tense. Still, he waited till they were somewhat away from the crowd before he began to deliver the news. [color=gold]”König Hrothgar was successful, though not in all his aims. The force came ashore, and managed to deal a great many blows to the greenlanders, but were unable to take the city.” he stopped, before choosing his next words carefully. He would be honest, but he must be tactful. [color=gold]“The fleet was also destroyed, for the most part. They caught the culprit, but alas, many were lost. Though I’m sure that despite this, the König will be quick to return. I believe a man of his character would not want to leave such a beautiful family waiting long, and I saw how he tore through the Quentists like parchment.” [/color]he uttered slightly more softly than usual. He remembered a word from his mother, that a wife waiting for her husband to return home is just as troubled as the soldier. And truth be told, he did feel some sympathy. She definitely seemed to care about her husband, and her children looked well mannered, far more humble than he’d seen in a lot of the courts of Drudgunzean lords. [color=a187be]“I see,”[/color] she replied shortly. [color=a187be]“Thank you for your candor.”[/color] Snorri, too, nodded. “And father didn’t ask for more soldiers?” the boy inquired, tilting his head to the side in an almost adultlike fashion. “I’m not sure I believe that.” [color=gold]”Very apt. That was a request he made, though I’m sure it will not be an easy one to provide. Even still, I believe it may be necessary to win a complete victory. Our nations have more enemies than just the Greenlanders after all.”[/color] Snorri nodded. “The Parrench are strong now.” He furrowed his brow. “They’re going to be even stronger when I’m old enough to fight them.” [color=a187be]“Unless we stop them now,”[/color] said his mother. She regarded Dietrich over her shoulder. [color=a187be]“You’re not a fool, so you would not be here if you didn’t think we could win.”[/color] They were on foot, but winding their way slowly up towards the Grontempel. The darkened streets were fast emptying out, as all sensible people who were not employed in some duty at this hour headed for sleep. Shops, workshops, longhouses, and more private dwellings clustered thick around the roads, some of the largest rising three or even four stories. Banners mounted on bronze posts fluttered lightly in the cool wind and torches lined the large thoroughfare that they presently occupied. [color=a187be]“So what is it that you are here to offer us, Dietrich of Sturmfeld, and what is it that you seek?”[/color] For the first time, Astrid met his gaze directly, hers very much like a more developed version of her son’s. What a sight the city was. It was not refined like his home, nor was it sensibly planned or an inviting place to be, but the simplicity and the utility of the architecture really made him wonder. To do so much when the world gave them so little was nothing short of admirable. He almost lost track of the conversation in his inner thoughts, but he stayed focused on the point. They were very perceptive after all. And although his conversations were usually direct, this was a breath of fresh air. No notable subtext or pretense behind it, it made him want to grin. But he held it in. [color=gold]“I offer friendship. An alliance between our respective nations will do nothing but benefit both of our people in this sacred war. For should we lose, our ways of life will be lost to the wind.”[/color] he stopped for a moment and looked out at the landscape before them. [color=gold]“And as for what I seek, it is to save my people from their own stupidity. We may be different now, but it was not always so. One hundred years of madness and acceptance of Quentic preaching has turned our kingdoms into unlit bonfires.. Hrothgar was wise to cull the priests, but we made the error of tolerating them. And now, though they display proud eagles and lions, I see rabbits waiting to be gobbled up by the wolf of the north should we not direct the course”[/color] he stated, passion in his voice. Perhaps he had been a bit too honest, but he could not hide his convictions about this matter. There was a long pause, and they walked in silence. Torches licked and snapped on posts and the boots of three people - including Snorri’s small, quick footsteps - squelched softly in the Spring mud. [color=a187be]“Have you ever visited our Grontempel?”[/color] Astrid inquired. [color=a187be]“Some say that it is the holiest site of our faith: that the Gods walk there.”[/color] She gestured almost absently ahead, in the direction where they were now headed in earnest. A colossal stave temple, its bottom floor intricate stonework and all the rest planks and carvings that seemed almost to shift and breathe with a life of their own, it rose two hundred feet upon the final foothill before the Eldfjall. Crows and seabirds perched upon its spars and statues in great chattering, cawing flocks. The queen clasped her hands behind her back and glanced Dietrich’s way. [color=gold]“I unfortunately haven’t, and witnessing it now, it is a great shame.”[/color]he almost whispered into the cold air as he truly began to feel the altitude and the wind bearing down on them. It was not often that he felt in awe of something other than himself, but it almost left him speechless as his eyes wandered from the bottom to the top of the grand structure. He had seen great chapels built for the Pentad, but nothing he’d witnessed gave him the feeling he had stood before this structure. He felt as if only now, he was worthy of his name. He did not see the gods as she said, but he felt them. It took him a small while before he was able to speak another word, perhaps due to the cold or perhaps due to the nature of the place. [color=gold]“Have you seen them here?”[/color] was all he was able to utter, looking back at Astrid, if only to distract himself from the feeling he felt in his heart at that moment. Was he losing it? He couldn’t quite tell. Perhaps he was nauseous from the trip, or the height, or the cold, or perhaps this place truly was sacred. [color=a187be]“I have felt their presence, as you now do,”[/color] the queen answered simply, nodding as she walked. [color=a187be]“as many do.”[/color] They were approaching now, and there were numerous small shops and huts clustered lower down on the hill, hawking products and housing pilgrims. [color=a187be]“Just as I have felt it atop the Eldfjall, or staring out across the ocean at dawn.”[/color] She turned to him, eyes narrowed against a gust of wind. In the distance, dark wings spread and a series of birds took flight. [color=a187be]“As I felt it the first time that I touched the Mother’s Tree as a girl, or when I felt each of my children stirring inside of me.”[/color] She took in a long breath and released it after a moment. Snorri glanced up at her, looking as if he wanted to say something, but the boy was silent, perhaps unused to his mother speaking to an ambassador at such length. [color=a187be]“You see, Jarl Sturmfeld, the Gods do not confine themselves to one place. There is no such thing as a ‘holiest site’.”[/color] She shook her head with a soft, knowing smile. [color=a187be]“They live where we make space for them and where we open ourselves to them. Someday, perhaps,”[/color] she mused, [color=a187be]“They will not have much of a home in Eskand, but in Parrence or some other distant land, where people shall build great monuments to them: ones to stir the heart and mind. I can see that your words are not mere words.”[/color] She stopped and faced him as they neared the top of the steps. [color=a187be]“You are an ambitious man, perhaps, but your face and your voice tell me not an untrue one. This war is not only for the continuation of our ways. It is for the growth of Eskand: the flourishing. We will conquer the green lands of Parrence for our own use and fill them with our people.”[/color] She regarded Dietrich thoughtfully. [color=a187be]“It may very well be that, if we win, Drudgunze and its kingdoms shall cease to exist. Encircled, they shall be made part of their mother once more. Is that truly a possibility you are willing to entertain?”[/color] Dietrich stood in contemplation for a moment. Between the dialogue and the atmosphere, there was much racing through his brain at present. It was smart for her to bring her here to talk, for what true believer would be able to fully compose their thoughts in the presence of the gods without being at least a little nervous. Yet, she had a point. It was not so much the building itself that was holy, as it was the reverence of the gods in the city that allowed them to be here. A truly enlightened view in his mind. It seemed that they were more similar than he had previously thought. Yet, the second point rang clear in his mind. “I see now. Perhaps this is why I do not feel them as strongly in Drudgunze as I do now. The monument may be grand, but it is the acceptance of their presence that truly allows them to be present.” he stopped for a moment, taking another deep breath himself. The cold air bit his lungs but he would not let it stop him. There was more to say. [color=gold]“What do you believe separates our people? There is the rising threat of Quentism, and I believe this may be the biggest barrier to a re-unification, but I also see much difference in our society from yours in the short time we’ve been separated. Every time you move, you gain and lose a bit of what you were prior. Our people are no longer comparable sailors, but I believe you’d be surprised at our architecture, metalworking and art.”[/color] he turned to meet her gaze once more, putting his hands behind his back. [color=gold]“Your people may experience a change greater than ours were you to settle Parrence. It is just as likely that Eskand births proud new sons that make their own way, than it is that a grand rejoining takes place. However, what happens between those options, is infinitely preferable to being subject to a Greenlander.”[/color] he smiled. That question was a tricky one, and it did make him think about his morals. Did he care more about the survival of his people and their ways of life, or the power he could receive from this war? Was it wrong to want both? Or simply greedy? He would have to ponder it more. They stood in front of the great doors now, a fog creeping up from the harbour and pooling in the valleys and alleys of Meldheim. It drifted over and between silent houses and hills, snaked along the thousand branching roads of the great city like ghostly blood through arteries, and made its way, presently to the beating heart before which Astrid, her son, and Dietrich stood. Ethereal in its grasp, torches flickered. Pulling her hood over head, the Queen of Eskand reached out and pointed towards the doors. [color=a187be]“I have seen you for what you are, Dietrich of Sturmfeld, and I accept you.”[/color] The torches scored a line all of the way back to the docks, but here, around the Grontempel, they were as legion as Parrench soldiers or farmers in a field. With a stately groan, one of the doors opened a sliver. A powerful gust of wind whipped at Dietrich’s hair and the torches in front of him flickered and went dark, wisps of smoke trailing off and losing themselves in the encroaching mist. Crows cawed. Inside, torches and incense beckoned. [color=a187be]“Drink the water you will find inside and know if the Gods, too, feel the same way,”[/color] she said softly, and Snorri stood beside her, trying to remain dignified in his bearing as a prince and not steal glances inside. [color=a187be]“I shall speak of alliances and more soldiers to those who need to hear it.”[/color] Her eyes gleamed soft blue from beneath her hood. [color=a187be]“Brother’s courage, Kressian.”[/color] Dietrich swallowed nervously as he looked inside. A preposterous statement of usual circumstances for the man, but as he looked inside, he felt them more strongly than ever. But there was no shred of fear, merely a feeling of.. unworthiness? Something he'd seldom ever experienced. Yet it built like a pit in his stomach, goose bumps flaring across his skin as he felt the cold wind and smoke of the temple hit his face. He took only a moment to steel himself as he looked back at the now cloaked Queen of Eskand, and giving a nod of understanding, before venturing forth into the temple, past the phalanx of torches that smouldered from the breeze. Slow steps echoed around him as he walked further and further into the inky dark, to where the water was. There was little hesitation in his mind now. He would prove his worth, he deserved to be here, he would show the gods what he could become. A quick recital of Femrigr bounced through the empty halls, filled his mind with courage, and he drank deep. He felt his vision shift and blur, and his mind churn in strange ways, and the world itself began to slow down. He tried to stand, but he could not find his feet, as he felt as if he was falling through the floor that was very clearly there, but his legs were like pigs blood in the moment, and he was brought to one knee. His mind was still clearly his own, but this world was unfamiliar, as if he was new to it. Sensation was overbearing, and as time passed, he felt as if he was born again, forced to experience breathing, swallowing, clenching his fist, thinking all over again for the first time. And more than ever in his now vulnerable state, he felt the gods watching, judging his every action in the stupor he found himself in. But, surprisingly, he felt as if they agreed with him, and respected his moment of weakness before them. And as he got to grips with existence once more, he stood with his arms held high, outstretched in acceptance of their being. And for a moment, just a split second, he would swear to the end that he saw a far too familiar figure in the corner of the hall smiling at him in approval. That was all he needed.