The Otter

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@PigeonOfAstora@Raineh Daze@VitaVitaAR@VahkiDane@HereComesTheSnow

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"I'll make an attempt," Fionn replied, somewhat dubiously, to Tyaethe, before the trio fully split apart after re-entering the hall. He quickly made his way back to his prior table, his glass of wine retrieved and promptly drained. If he was going to be rubbing elbows with some of the others around this ball, he'd at least need to be properly prepared for it; lacking any real experience interacting with the upper classes anywhere other than among his fellow knights, the best preparation he could really get at the current time was something to help himself relax.

Unwind.

Just don't overdo it. That would be bad.

He didn't have long to dwell on how best to not embarrass himself before the princesses made their entrance; the elder was suitably radiant, as any well-raised and prepared princess should be, her clear voice ringing out into the hall with only slightly more effort needed than the herald was using. The splendor of her dress clearly outshone all the others as well, the divide between the royalty and the mere nobility made clearly evident with one garment that could likely pay the yearly salary of the entire mercenary company he used to serve with.

Princess Elisandre didn't hold his attention for long, however, before his eyes fell to her younger sister. Maletha stared out at the guests much like he'd been doing, trailing along beside her elder sister. While she didn't exactly seem as uncomfortable as he felt, she certainly didn't seem to be as in-her-element as Elisandre or any of the others who were more successfully socializing. A kindred spirit, albeit closer in age to some of his siblings than to him.

But, if he was required to present himself, at least he could entertain the younger princess rather than embarrassing himself in front of the elder. It would help distract him from whatever fresh hell was to arise between Renar and his sibling, as well. He strode up to the center with a nod at Gerard, stopping behind Sergio and Serenity. As the pair presented themselves to Elisandre, Veilena Cazt given the opportunity to introduce herself, he knelt next to the younger princess.

"Your highnesses," he greeted, giving a nod to each alongside his kneeling down before the younger, though he'd wait for Veilena to introduce herself before giving his own name.

Of course, if Princess Maletha felt like extending a hand in greeting, that would be the perfect time to secretly pass over some of the sweets he'd nabbed on his way up.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@PigeonOfAstora@Raineh Daze

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The eyebrow remained raised as Lein spoke in the more common tongue of Velt. One he was familiar with, certainly, being a native of the country and having travelled through it as a mercenary before winding up further south, and it was certainly a bit of a surprise to hear Lein rattling off in it so suddenly...but if the Hundi thought he was speaking Fionn's mother tongue, he was undoubtedly going to be disappointed. Not that he had much time to mull over why Lein knew any of the common Veltian tongue to begin with before the act began anew.

With some odd sort of studiously-polite response to Tyaethe added in, although Fionn couldn't imagine any particular reason for such intentionally-inoffensive choice of communication. In his experience, people usually only acted that way when they disliked the person they were speaking to but didn't want to actually argue or fight for some reason.

"Careful, lad. Get too snippy and you might be jumped to the top of the menu." He pulled back one sleeve an inch, showing the faint marks left from the night before. "Too late for me, I'm afraid. My mother did always say I'd have to learn these things the hard way." If Lein had been spending most of his time figuring out ways to avoid the training yard, he might also have failed to notice that there were various knights who sometimes had to skip out or take things easier than usual.

Everybody might get asked eventually, certainly, but he was hoping that Lein didn't know that yet.

"But—perhaps we should return, before they all start gossiping about us anyways?"

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@PigeonOfAstora@Raineh Daze

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Fionn glanced up, one eyebrow raised in mild confusion and surprise.

"No, just good with knots. Lacing's easy to follow." String and rope were always useful tools to have around for various purposes, whether on the farm or out on a river boat, after all. It wasn't as though the tails of the lacing were done up in some devilishly complicated manner, either; a delicate show-knot, sure, but it wasn't ridiculous.

Surely most other men, common or noble, didn't have trouble with something as simple as helping a woman dress or undress. Right?

"Glad to know my presence forestalls a scandal, at least."

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@PigeonOfAstora@Raineh Daze

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Fionn shook his head as Lein began to turn. "Jah, Frau Lein," he said after a moment with an entirely straight face. "But not right here, that might look scandalous. There's a little alcove off from the entrance where I can attend to your needs without too many stares." His jokes at Lein's expense might seem a bit mean-spirited, but given how uncomfortable Fanilly had looked from Fionn's glances over, the Hundi deserved it in his mind.

Besides, at least Tyaethe might enjoy the jokes. It wouldn't be surprising if she liked being at the ball about as much as he did, so getting to bring some sort of enjoyment to it would be a worthy cause.

"If you'll follow me, my lady."

Sticking to the edges of the great hall, Fionn moved at a quick pace to lead Lein to the entrance, back through the passage, and over to a small secluded corner of the hall leading back to the kitchen. Hoping that no servants would walk by and glance too closely—or that none of the other guests in attendance had similar ideas about finding a secluded space—he quickly set about the task of loosening Lein's laces. "So, is this what you get up to when you aren't training with the rest of us?" he asked as he worked, undoing the decorative knot so that he could actually pull the stays loose.

"Hadn't figured you for the sort, really, but if you intend to stick with this, what you ought to do is get Fleuri to dance with you. Appeal to his courtly senses, see if the Flower of the North still has it in him to act like a normal noble gentleman at these events." Hopefully Lein wouldn't take such testing too far, otherwise Fionn might end up with some explaining to do all his own.

Rather than yank the stays apart once he got the lacing free, he decided to be careful, loosening them individually—both to avoid damaging what was likely an expensive garment and to keep everything nice and even. "Alright. Able to breathe a little better, now, or do you need them looser?"

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@PigeonOfAstora@Raineh Daze

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"Well, now, Lein may not have had much of a chance. Could've been a spur of the moment decision, right?" Fionn patted Lein on the shoulder with a smile. "Really, though, the corset and trying to stuff the bust, that's where I think the wrong choices were made. Need help loosening the laces so you can breathe better?"

“Many men had gathered in an attempt to protect the giant that Ser Gerard and the Captain were preoccupied with—"

Fionn's smile faltered slightly.

"I should have brought that bardiche, or walked in carrying Jeremiah's blade."

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@PigeonOfAstora

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It didn't seem to take long after he'd found his little observation post that the conversation fully started to erupt around him. For a moment, he nearly went over to where he saw Sergio and Gerard, willing to give the latter, at least, some back-up when being accosted by three noble girls—but between the two of them, they seemed to have it handled well enough. He let his eyes drift over to Renar and Fleuri's group, where the former was now fully caught in conversation with some smirking crown knight.

He squinted; the hair colour was entirely wrong, of course, but parts of the face, the similar build, the richness of the voice...he might have to keep a closer eye on that pair than he'd originally planned. It wouldn't be good if any familial resentment started to bubble out too much between them. A quick glance at the captain showed that she was still fine, albeit looking thoroughly confused for some reason; Lucas and Tyaethe were—

"—however he may have towered over us before the Captain and I struck him down."

The muscle just under Fionn's eye twitched. In years past, he might have immediately made a move over to where Gerard was talking and joined in the fray; not to correct him, but as a not-so-subtle reminder not to leave out important details like Fionn's own contribution. Eventually, however, he'd learned some level of patience, and Gerard came from a similar background as he did. The younger man was likely just as uncomfortable surrounded by nobles as he was. Whether a slip of the tongue, or a purposeful omission for some purpose he couldn't divine, Fionn was willing to forgive it.

He turned back in Renar's direction, hearing his suspicion as to the relation between himself and the crown knight confirmed as the younger dove headfirst into picking some sort of verbal fight with his sibling. That, he resolved, was something that would have to be watched more closely. Before he could take a step, though, something else moved in the corner of his eye. The captain was...alone?

So quickly?

"What—"

His eyes slid over the small girl off by one of the windows and her hulking guardian, as he quickly scanned the crowd for the woman who had been speaking with Fanilly, only to find himself quickly accosted by the very same.

"Pray tell, are these blades the very same you used to dispatch those horrid Bandit King crooks?"

Fionn blinked.

"You were there, lad."

From a distance, the disguise had been convincing enough; Lein's slight form and not-overly-masculine looks made it a very achievable effect. Up close, though, it wasn't hard to see through. "You're looking a bit too red in the face, might loosen up the corset. Why go for the hourglass shape, anyways? There's plenty of noblewomen here who have more of a runner's build like your own and aren't trying to hide or augment it."

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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It was fortuitous that Fionn, in his early days after being raised to knighthood and with a rare spark of common sense, had chosen to obtain clothing that would be fitting for social events he might be obligated to attend. As much as the idea of mingling with the non-martial nobility filled him with dread, it would at some point prove an inevitability; when it came to pass, it wouldn't do well for him to embarrass either himself or the order showing up in nothing more than his nicest regular wear. A decision he came to find was absolutely the most correct one he could make, the more he got to know the likes of Renar, Fleuri, and Serenity.

Once the initial shock of being invited to accompany the captain to the ball passed, he'd quickly set his fine clothes out. Inspecting them for any possible damage from moths or their ilk, in the event that he needed to pester one of the true spellcasters of the group for some impromptu seamless mending should they prove capable of such; but also, ensuring that when the moment came to actually prepare to leave, he wouldn't be nervously rumpling and creasing them in a mad, time-pressed dash to find all his proper clothes.

Once he joined his fellows in the courtyard of Candaeln, before making their way to the Crown of Thaln, it became clear to everybody else that despite his attempts to be prepared for such eventualities, he would be at least as out-of-place as he always was. Even though he'd left it voluntarily, to seek out challenge and honour elsewhere, Fionn remained fiercely proud of his home and heritage, and his concept of fine dress reflected as much. Soft leather shoes, grey linen trousers with wraps around the calves, a short, off-white tunic; and over the top of it, a short blue woolen coat, trimmed with a slightly lighter grey than his trousers, and held closed with the same belt that he hung his dagger and utility knife from. Rather than relying on show of heraldry or extravagance of decoration, the garments showed their worth in simple quality—of both the fabric used and in the immaculate cut.

But quality aside, the figure struck by the knight from the far north of Velt unsurprisingly had more in common with the fashions of provincial Estival, perhaps even Barukstead, than with anything that was popular among Thaln's high society. Not that Fionn, proud of his home as he was, would have it any other way. Other than the colouration, and the fact that he also wore his sword belt, he had one final marker of his allegiance and invitation—a small silver rose badge, pinned to the left breast of the coat, as he'd foregone any show of the personal coat of arms that had been granted to him.

As they all marched to the royal ball, any disapproving glances he might have earned from some of the knights that didn't know him well or how he worked went entirely unnoticed; Fionn had far more important things to be concerned about. Things such as how to behave around the nobility he'd likely have to interact with, who he might need to watch, who he might need to stick by for his own sake, and second most concerning of all: How best to avoid too much attention even with a herald announcing his presence.

Most concerning, however, was the way that many of his fellows seemed to scatter throughout the ball nearly as soon as they'd arrived. "Wait—" he said to none of them in particular, as by the time he'd really noticed they'd all spread far thinner than he'd have liked, his own feet unconsciously carrying him deeper into the room just so that he didn't end up standing by the entrance looking like a fool.

Off in one direction, Renar and Fleuri standing together amidst a group of young nobles, Gerard and Sergio not too far apart from them. In another, Cecilia interacting with—

Fionn blinked. Spider-centaurs were not something he'd ever expected to see in his life.

Off in another direction, Tyaethe and Lucas seemed to be talking. And in the last, the captain, being accosted by...a Hundi noblewoman, apparently. He resisted the urge to start grasping at one of his blades; the captain, at least, had combat training herself, multiple of the knights came bearing weaponry, and there were crown knights and others guarding the grounds—and whoever the noblewoman was, she seemed to be wrapped so tight in a corset and Mayon-only-knew what other layers of clothes that she'd struggle to have enough mobility to find any quick way to attack Fanilly if she was some sort of assassin.

This was not the sort of battlefield, at least, where he had to worry so much about the safety of his fellows, and to imagine it as such wouldn't do him any good. He could save his dread for more important things, like when the mingling inevitably reached him, or when he'd be incapable of politely excusing himself from any dancing or the like that was sure to happen. A relatively young knight in prime health couldn't really claim any sort of exemption from such social niceties without giving insult, he figured.

"Would that the parade had been enough, eh?" he muttered to himself, ceasing his ambling next to one of the empty tables. He grabbed one of the glasses of wine from it, swirling the deep red drink around as he concentrated for a moment, trying to make his fingertips glow through the liquid. Partially just to assure himself that he hadn't imagined the events of yesterday in a light-headed, blood-deprived haze, and partially as a way to make himself think of anything other than the event he was attending. When the soft viridian glow started to shine through the wine, he nodded to himself, relaxing his focus and taking a sip as the nimbus of light faded away.

At least he had something to look forward to once he was free from the social obligation.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@VitaVitaAR

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An invitation to the royal ball was the message that couldn't just be delivered to one of the servants? No doubt the man had been given some sort of specific instruction and he was loathe to contravene it for convenience's sake. Not much else would make sense. "Aye, is that right?" he responded after a moment, with a quick glance back at the rest of the castle behind him. "I'll make sure to get the message to the Knight-Captain as soon as possible. Before dinner even, assuming that she isn't too busy to see me. Can I take the scroll with so that I don't mix anything up?"

An utterly practical question to ask, as far as he was concerned, although a better one came to mind within the first span of breath after he asked it.

"Actually, to that point, if one of the Knight-Captain's loyal knights is acceptable to deliver the message to, I think I've got a better use. Nobody should stop you or keep you waiting if you've got a knight escorting you, after all. Care to follow?"

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@Raineh Daze@VitaVitaAR

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Probably for the best she wasn't asking after his idea, Fionn decided after a moment; for all he could guess at or knew, Tyaethe might object to his setting up a mill and press out in the training yard, whether the assemblage served a second purpose beyond just extracting juice or or not. Certainly, he could imagine a few of the non-undead higher ranking knights in the order objecting; hopefully he might be able to get by with asking forgiveness after the fact rather than permission.

Besides, it would be a very simple and effective way to get some of the scrawnier members of the order to start putting on some muscle. The normal knightly exercises were all well and good, but the motivation of getting to enjoy the fruits of their labour was likely to be more compelling to at least a few he was thinking of.

"As you wish," he replied, pushing up from the floor with a grunt. A quick glance off towards the entrance proper revealed the presence of the anxiously-waiting courier, pacing by one of the other windows while waiting for, evidently, someone with some minor level of authority to come and take his message, rather than one of the various servants within Candaeln. "Enjoy your nap, madam."

With the hope that he wouldn't find one of the many cushions adorning Tyaethe's claimed window seat (or worse yet, one of the plates) thrown at the back of his head, he made his way across the hall to the courier, giving a friendly wave once the messenger specifically noticed his approach. Either he was a bit too used to getting ignored like this, or he'd been averting his eyes from Fionn and Tyaethe, though whether from the outset, the moment that Tyaethe sunk her teeth into Fionn's wrist, or when she'd run the risk of blinding any observers, the Veltian knight really couldn't guess. "Good afternoon, lad. Take it you've got a message for one of us?"

Hopefully he wouldn't be too surprised by the Veltian knight's extremely informal address, although it wasn't as though the presence of beknighted commoners in the order was an unknown thing, no matter how much certain benighted nobles would always be surprised at the fact.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

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@Raineh Daze

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Fionn looked up with sudden surprise at that suggestion.

"Why would I ever do something like that?" he asked incredulously. "Not only would that be a waste of perfectly good apples, how would that do anything useful for any of the rest of us?"