BlasTech

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

It's okay. This is okay. This is expected.

Okay, maybe not entirely expected - after all, who goes into a stable expecting a freaky phantom ghost horse thing. But the scribe seems to have it under control and, screaming notwithstanding, appears to be riding it as you'd expect of any other animal.

Lucky ghost horse even got ear scratches.

That said, Kalaya was expecting that this mission would have to shed the veil of stealth at some point. For one, she's never been that great at sneaking around and, secondly, stealing horses was always going to put them on a timer. This whole scenario just meant that they were ahead of schedule!

Kalaya kicks open the stable doors, signalling to Fengye to follow her, before crossing the remaining distance to the broken gates at speed. When the scribe's voice starts to fade, Kalaya steps in with her own and, screaming, charges through into the unknown.

And if this means she happens to draw the first volley of fire away from Fengye, then that's just a bonus.

[Defy disaster 6 + 1 + 2 + 1* = 10 - Kalaya is willing to sacrifice her safety to get them into the dungeons faster than the defenders can react. Gallant Rescue activates and grants a string on Fengye. *Fengye spends a string to give Kalaya a bonus +1]

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

"I will respect the weak and defend them."

Kalaya steps to the side, opening up space between her and Fengye. She's not abandoning the scribe, only moving to make it so that the phantom has two targets to pick from should it chose to attack.

"I shall give mercy unto those who ask for it."

Her sword is out, held at the guard. She won't strike first; because what if the phantom is just looking for help? But if it lunges at either of them she is ready to leap in at the instant.

"I shall not recoil before my enemy and will be the champion of the Right and Good against Injustice and Evil."

Well, that one requires no explanation.

You ask why she doesn't break and run? The answer is right before you. It's a simple one:

She's sworn not to. Three times over.

What's more, she's fairly sure she can fight this thing if needed. She's done the training, for what that's worth in a real fight. But she also doesn't really know what kind of spirit it is - and is therefore giving both it and Fengye a chance to resolve this peacefully.

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

"Stables it is then" replies Kalaya, rolling her eyes at the whole 'Lady Flower Knight' epithet.

"And it's Kalaya, or Kalaya-Phraya if you want to be formal." she continues, glancing around one last time. "Anyway, come on, now's our chance."

Aaaand Scoop!

The young knight is off and running, carrying you bridal style as she keeps low in the underbrush.

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

"Okay" says Kalaya, dropping back behind cover. "We really have two places to go; If Ven has really kidnapped a priestess, then most likely place for her is the dungeons. Castles all have their own layouts, so we'd have to hunt around for the location, but they tend to follow the same kind of principles. Best guess is beneath the inner curtain walls, closest to the keep."

"The other would be her chambers - not sure where they'd be but I have a guess. The real question is do we split up to cover each place individually, or stay together, or something else?"

She turns to Fengye, trying to get a feel for how the scribe is holding up.

[I never got to spend that second question in the last scene, so may as well now - What are Fengye's feelings towards Knights, Princesses and Adventure?"]

"Any thoughts? I admit my gut is to just try to start climbing. These old castles are usually more ruin than fortification - should have plenty of handholds and places to rest."

In her voice, you can tell that the idea of climbing is not laced with an implicit desire to leave you behind. If anything, the knight is probably confident that she can scale the wall with you hanging from her back.

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

"She came to stand by the foot of the red mountain whispering secrets until it slept/"
"Until at last, the land and water gave rise to vibrant flowers, that climb upwards year after year."

Kalaya adds her own verse from the chant as she accepts the cup. Breathing deeply, she feels some of her worries drain away at last.

"Thank you." she says, meaning for more than just the tea.

[Clearing insecure]

"And you're right." she says, giving Fengye a genuine smile. "On a scale of princess trying to summon demons and kidnapping people - someone messing about with magic, particularly since I'm assuming you didn't do it will ill intent, is absolutely beneath my pay grade."

She takes a sip, considering.

"And yeah, I know the Dominion has pretty strong opinions on who should or shouldn't be doing things with their lives." she continues. "I've never really cleaved to that myself. I mean, if I'd listened to people like that I would never have become a knight. You shouldn't either, so long as you're not hurting anyone your life is your own and don't ever feel ashamed of that fact."

[Rolling for Emotional support: 3 + 4 + 2 = 9]

"Soooo ... if you don't have anything better to do." she says, smirking. "Do you want to help me break into a castle?"

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

Kalaya had held that brown-black gaze for a heartbeat, feeling the manic energy in her subside. It wasn't gone - but like water that had cooled just below the boil, the roiling, bubbling surface that threatened to spill over was beginning to still. To be contained.

She drops her gaze back to the fire, giving it a half-hearted prod with a stick.

"It's not just about honour." she replies, and is she pouting or just tiredly petulant? "Leaving you out here just ... wouldn't be the right thing to do."

"And as for food? I ..." she continues, thinking back over however many hours that day had been. "Breakfast probably, unless you count a cup of tea around lunchtime."

A half-remembered image of shaking hands placing a cup back on a table prompts the realisation that she never actually got to drink it in the end.

Darn, it had been a good blend too.

Accepting the food with a genuine "Thank you", she eats in silence - enjoying the warmth, the flavour of the spices and texture of the tofu while allowing her mind to wander. It's not a full balm on the troubles that ail her, but it's a start and the effort is appreciated.

"So." she begins, after a suitable amount of time has passed. "I can get not wanting to talk about certain things -"

She gives an acknowledging nod to whatever it is you're poking under that cloak. Giving you the same courtesy she'd extended to Ven just a short while ago. After all, if people don't want to talk about things then Kalaya is not the kind to press the issue.

That said, what is with people and fidgeting with hidden stuff under their cloaks lately?

"But is there anything you can tell me about what you were doing before I came along? What happened to you? Where are you going? Do you have a hometown, a family?"

"I'm not wanting to pry this out of you, although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about why a scribe is out here in the middle of nowhere - particularly when long distance walking seems to be out of the question - I'm just trying to figure out what to do next.

"Were you headed to Turtlehead? Are you from there? (Didn't think they had much cause for scribes) Or do you also have business at Kingeater?"

She says the last with a laugh because she thinks she has a good read on you, but with how her day has been nothing is out of the realm of possibility. Also, is it rude to just address your disability like that? Will you call her out on it or is the frankness appreciated?

"Orrrr, I dunno. We can just keep sitting here and talk about the weather. That's good too. I mean, hey - what about that rain? It sure is ... wet?" she finishes, gesturing around with her bowl.

[Feel I should prompt Fengye here to either try to Read Kalaya or to go ahead with an emotional support roll]

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

Maple Leaf Poem!

"Well, I haven't really 'rescued' you yet" replies Kalaya, glancing around at the rain and mud. "I mean, I've literally only helped you walk from that patch of mud to this rock - so unless you were drowning while sitting there ..."

She stares into her hands.

"It's nice to meet you too, Fengye. My name is Kalaya Na and it means ... well, that doesn't really matter right now. What's important is that we get you warm before you catch your death out here." she continues, searching the alcove for some usable tinder.

"As for my story, well - it's easy to say that today has been very long already. It started out with a Rakshasa infiltrating and corrupting my tourney, moved on to fighting an aggressive Highlander and then took a sharp turn towards being far far worse." she says, laughing mirthlessly. "Now, I've got to head to a castle that is under the control of a demon-summoning ex-princess who apparently also kidnaps priestesses and who is ..."

She cuts off with a soft exhale. The release of tension before it can build further.

"I don't really feel like talking about it." she finishes, frowning.

"I'm sorry, I know this is rude, abrupt and all. And if you had found me on a good day then I'd have been happy to talk for as long as you'd like and help you back down the mountain after the weather clears. But today is not a good day. Today is .. you might say that it's one of the worst in my life."

"I don't want to wait here until the rain stops. I want to keep moving. But I'm also honour bound to help someone genuinely in need."

She flashes her gaze up to yours. Watching intently.

"So, you see my predicament."

[Roll to Figure out a person and spending a string. 6 + 3 -2 + 3 = 10 - A question for Fengye: What do you hope to get from this conversation?]

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

Kalaya lets out a little 'oof' as you stumble into her, mostly from surprise.

"Hey, it's okay. I've got you." she says. (And she really does, supporting your weight easily despite the driving rain and unsteady footing.) She helps you, maybe more than half-carrying, across to retrieve your umbrella and to lead you towards a rocky outcropping that will provide some small shelter from the deluge.

In truth, it's busywork - something to occupy her hands while her mind plays out her answer. It should have been simple: I will respect the weak and defend them. Her oaths aren't exactly made from shades of grey in this situation.

So why is her mind churning with images of Kingeater castle?

It's not like I even know for certain that Ven is there. she thinks, despite how right it feels.

And even if she was, if she's actually behind the summonings she wouldn't be the one in any danger. she thinks, despite how wrong it feels.

"O-of course" she says, unfurling the umbrella to cover you. And if there's hesitation in her voice, she drowns it out with further words. "I mean, I am a knight and we're kind of obligated to help those in need and, even if I wasn't, it would be pretty poor for me to leave you out here in this."

She kneels beside you, her cloak protecting knees that would otherwise be soaked in mud.

"So, tell me - what's going on? Are you heading somewhere - or what did you need help with?"

[Kalaya will take the XP, although it was a very close-run thing in the end]

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

Zhaojun!

What does she see?

First, it's a formless shape, moving through the sheets of rain. It soon resolves into a person - a woman - young and clutching an oilskin cloak about her shoulders as she cuts a path through the storm. She pauses, noticing you for the first time, glancing along the pathway as if to check for danger, before stepping closer.

You can make out the sword now, strapped to her side. Her clothing is sturdy, boiled leather armour atop a dark green shirt. The way she moves, flowing across the land, rain misting around her like an aura. All of this speaks to training and her station: A Flower Knight, there can be no doubt about it.

Your eye catches the clasp on her cloak - a dark green brooch in the shape of a Lily. It's only once she kneels in front of you that your eyes begin to track up to her face, taking in tanned features that are both bold and soft; a rounded chin, full lips - misting the air between you with their breath - a few strands of dark brown hair have wisped out of her ponytail, framing high, rosy, cheeks and a well-set nose.

And her eyes, peeking out from beneath long lashes, are the colour of leaves, of emeralds, of life.

The two of you lock gazes for a lightning moment, before she reaches out a hand.

"Hey." she says, voice tinged with concern. "Are you alright? ..."

-===-

For her part, Kalaya hadn't stopped walking since leaving the teahouse. When the rain came, she simply pulled out her cloak, tossed it on and kept marching.

Throughout all of this, her mind kept playing the last few minutes over and over again. Try as she might, she was no closer to a concrete plan than she had been when she'd first stepped out. Her feet just kept driving her onwards, towards Kingeater Castle.

And then what? Try to talk to her? What would I even say? "Hey Ven! So, I heard you like Demons?" ... Ugh, I'm such an idiot.

The sudden downpour had her sniffling and she was fighting a losing battle against the the humidity due to how quickly she was climbing into the hills. Her boots were squelching as the path turned to mud and she was certain she'd need to change to new socks before long.

Adding to her discomfort, visibility was down to basically nothing. In fact, when she first spotted the person lying by the wayside - she'd assumed it was a corpse and was just about to keep walking when it stirred. She'd glanced along the pathway, sorely tempted to keep going. She should check up on them, but a delay - any delay - made her anxiety spike.

For what felt like an eternity, she stood there, weighing her vows against this manic pulling inside her.

She sighed, turning away. For now. Only for now.

Kneeling, she extends a hand.

"Hey. Are you alright?" she starts. "I'm kind of in a rush - gotta make my way into a demon-held castle, probably going to die when I get there. But y'know how it is. Are you able to stand?"

[Rolling for unintentional enticement: 5 + 6 - 1 = 10 - Kalaya will take a string on Zhaojun and she picks one from the entice list.]

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

Kalaya sits at the table, her body sagging into the wicker seat and hands clinging to a cup of tea. The gesture of thanks she'd made to the server had been in the formal style - a product of years of training so repetitive as to eventually become reflex. Her ears do not register the conversation going on, her eyes are unfocused.

The young knight was at the table - but her mind was elsewhere.

She finds herself replaying scenes from that morning. Of the plans for the tourney, grand hopes hastily scrawled in a way so reminiscent of her childhood drawings. Of her happiness at seeing those aspirations become reality. Of the excitement in the faces of the villagers. Of how alive everything had felt in the melee - where she was surrounded by dozens, hundreds, of people who had wanted to become part of a knight's retinue. Of her retinue. People that could have been compatriots, companions ... friends.

Those memories tasted bitter now.

They'd all been duped. None of it had been real. Kalaya sighed. It had seemed too convenient, too good to be true, that so many people would want - could want - her dream. That was why she'd participated in the melee after all. Test the waters, follow that instinct. But investigating, even suspecting that something might be amiss was very different from having the whole thing confirmed as a sham.

Sometimes it hurt to be right. Who would want to join up with her after all? The weird princess of Lily. The knight of no name. Just another worthl---

A voice, no, a name pierces through the haze.

Kalaya looks up, eyes returning to the present, just in time to see Giriel stand back from her speech.

"Did you say Ven?" she asks, voice too quiet to be heard.

The highlander comes forward next, somehow looming at Petony despite being shorter. But Kalaya finds herself unable to leap to her mentor's defence. In fact, her whole body sits rigid as the words register in her mind.

"I had to leave the kingdoms, Kal" she says, voice slipping out like a dagger leaving their sheath. "... There wasn't any future for me here ..."

Her breath catches. She sets the teacup down hastily, hand shaking.

"I don't want people to know I came back. Not unless it's on my terms. Thus. You know. The hat. And the cloak"

Kalaya stands, head swimming. She mutters excuses and heads for the washroom. Eyes averted. Unable to meet them.

"... some wilted creep who likes dark cloaks, big straw hats, and kidnapping priestesses with demon magic ... the coin she left behind."

The coin. The cloak. The hat.

Snapdragon.

The brooch. Kalaya's fingers prizing it out of a totem that still smells of sulphur.

She doesn't remember the walk to the washroom. Only that one moment she's leaving the table, the next she staring at a wild eyed, pale faced young woman in the water-filled basin. She reaches into the visage, splashing the water on her face. As much a search for solace as an attempt to dispel the stranger looking back at her.

More water. A gasping breath.

Bracing herself against the basin, she tries to rally her mind but it refuses. Formless. Shapeless. Thoughts that simply will not coalesce. A buzzing sandstorm of white noise. She has to get out. Has to breathe. This place. That pathway. What Ven did. Why didn't she say anything?

She stumbles out of the teahouse, away from the gathering. Her feet are moving without instruction - but with direction.

To the hills, back the way she'd come. To Kingeater Castle.

Her cup of tea sits on the table, untouched and cooling.