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Post by Nadia on May 30, 2021 12:42:02 GMT -6
It was... somewhat of an unorthodox bonding exercise, this one. Not only with her houluh, but with her knight, too.Nadia found it strange still, to have that statement on her tongue. There had been nothing of the sort in her life since she'd left home - there was no nobility to speak of in the City, not in the traditional sense, and men of honour were hard to come by. She had chosen to believe that it was serendipity, that her path would cross with Sarv's when it did.That being said, there was no easy way to trust. It was not an easy decision. What better way to get acquainted, and to keep an eye out for any improper motives, than to take a trip to the Mansion?The place looked normal, for a change. She'd managed to make her way to the grounds in one piece; Dylan was tussling around in the patch of grass next to her, on a slack leash. The arrangement had been that Sarv would meet her there. It might have been more proper to be escorted by him, but she'd been out on errands prior, and doubted that he would have wanted to tag along for that.(It would've been his job as a knight to grin and bear it, but no one was around to argue her logic.)[May] [1]
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Post by Èdan on May 30, 2021 12:53:46 GMT -6
Madness comes in many forms. Some would argue that there is madness in revisiting a place previously regarded as abhorrent, doubly so if the place was, well, madness itself. The knight's previous trip to the accursed place had left him lost for what felt days on end, with twists, turns, meeting and partings to write a short novel of. Once he'd finally found a way out, there hasn't been much thought given to going back in.
And yet, here he was - Walking the street leading to the wealthy-looking building in the distance, glaive on shoulder, with the tabard equivalent of 'best dress' on. Not because of madness, but because of the exact opposite - Sense. The lady Nadia had expressed a wish to visit the place, and considering his previous experience, it seemed hardly proper to allow her to do so unaccompanied, given the possible threats and dangers therein. And that meant trying again, with a few well-placed proprietary requests to the goddess to make this trip, ah.. slightly less eventful.
On approach, he spots the lady already at the gate, and approaches in the usual calm pace, a respectful bow given in greeting once close enough, "Good day, lady Nadia. I am glad to see you, and honoured by your gracious invite."
. 1 .
May: 2
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Post by Nadia on Jun 1, 2021 10:59:57 GMT -6
Something changed, when the knight showed up. Dylan went from rooting around in the grass to staring, fixated, at his approaching figure - and as he kept coming, the houluh began to whine. Nadia was perplexed. Her pups had always been friendly, and hadn't shown much fear towards strangers in the past. Of course, it was always possible that Dylan had a different personality from the others, but nothing in him had suggested that would be the case. Not until that moment. With a sound of pity, she stooped down to open her arms to him. He bundled right into her. "Good day, Sarv," Her curtsey was stunted by rising from a crouched position, and with an armful of puppy, but she did her best to make it graceful. "It is ever a joy to see you. I do hope I'm not distracting you from other important duties." Dylan's wet, sniffling nose was jammed into the crook of her neck and shoulder. The whimpering hadn't stopped. [June - 1]
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Post by Èdan on Jun 1, 2021 11:13:34 GMT -6
In truth, he didn't notice the pup immediately, but the increasingly louder sound of a faint whine became unmistakeable once he was close enough. Ah, well.. That certainly provides another issue (One which he can't exactly escape from. At this point it would be a shock to find a beast who was at ease immediately). There's an adjustment to the posture, half-looking to assist her to stand, and half-restraining, as that would put him even closer to the unhappy hound causing said imbalance. Eventually, he seems to decide standing back is a better alternative.
"Quite fine, lady Nadia," he reaffirms in that slow northern drawl, "My lord will be busy for a few days on estate business, so they do not have need of me as much." A pause, the eyes inevitably landing on the misery that is the little hound trying its best to hide in her arms, and he adds, a touch less assuredly, "Ah.. I fear my presence must have startled it. My apologies.." He takes a few measure steps back, to allow the two some space. It's not likely to help much, but if nothing else, it might stop it from trying to burrow into her neck at least.
. 2 . June: 2
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Post by Nadia on Jun 2, 2021 6:39:37 GMT -6
Dylan's peculiar behaviour was concerning. Nadia held him out despite his whimpering protests to check him over, trying to distinguish if he had hurt himself in the grass somehow - but nothing. All four paws were in tact. All she could do was frown and let him snuggle closer, though she gently dissuaded him from hiding his face with one palm. If Sarv was the problem, it wouldn't be fixed by the pup refusing to become accustomed to his presence. "I am relieved to hear that," She said. "Please, worry not. This is quite out of character for him, he is rather friendly... I suppose you may cut an imposing figure to a small creature." Of course, that made sense. The knight's armour, complete with those horns, had intimidated her when they'd first met. There was a part of her that still viewed him with trepidation. Was that not the whole purpose of this excursion? To see if a bond could be forged, or if any unsavoury motivation on his part would arise? Both her and her houluh would have to take the opportunity to grow more comfortable with him. "This place is wonderful, but I will certainly appreciate your company. Shall we?" [3]
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Post by Èdan on Jun 2, 2021 9:41:33 GMT -6
The reasoning brokers no argument (And it was a statement he'd heard all too many times - There are pet owners who would talk their pet up as the friendliest and most obedient in all the land, regardless of the pet's actual qualities in the field, but in his case, it always came crashing down the second he so much as steps into a room). However, there is a brief shift in the knight's otherwise attentive posture, as if feeling awkward over the predicament. "I fear the helmet does not help." he makes an attempt at rationalizing her statement, "Perhaps they think me a dragon on two feet?"
Regardless of the true reason, it seems the pup would have to find some way to cope with this. "Of course," he bows and opens the gate to the mansion for her, "After my lady."
It's not quite up to etiquette, as normally a knight would have to offer their arm in order to escort a lady of the house.. but seeing as the lady is also currently carrying a very concerned pup whose proximity to him is directly correlative to increase in said concern, there's a quick better judgement call that has to be made. It prompts another awkward moment, like the social guidebook for such situations skipped a chapter the knight wasn't aware of, but should she enter, he follows behind, careful to keep distance enough so the hound doesn't bolt from her arms.
With good reason - It's known to happen. He and the strange pastel panther had to chase the small silvery dragon beast for some time, previously.
. 3 . June: 4
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Post by Nadia on Jun 2, 2021 13:14:23 GMT -6
Ah, yes. It was a comfort to hear Sarv following her line of thought - Nadia nodded, soothing one hand along Dylan's back and feeling relief when his tail began to wag. He'd get over it. For the time being, she'd keep him in her sights and distract him from the knight, and with a bit of luck he'd grow accustomed to having him around in the periphery. "Very well," She said, then let herself in through the gate, leaving it open in preparation for Sarv to follow. The mansion wasn't looking too peculiar, compared to its facade at Vai Min Mur. The following months were going to bring driftwood towers and great concerns for structural integrity, so it was nice to avoid that, and to be able to keep calm while her houluh was indisposed. Pointedly ignoring that it was the chaos month. "Ah... Sarv, please, would you...?" The door was right before her before she knew it, and she gestured to it with a nervous flutter of the hand. Dylan's puppy curiosity had been captured by the new environment, so he stuck his head forwards to stare, nose wiggling. "I hate to look cowardly, but... well, I am. You can never guess what may await you..." [5]
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Post by Èdan on Jun 2, 2021 13:48:09 GMT -6
As soon as the lady is through the gate, he takes up position slightly behind and to the side of her. Enough to be on hand should something happen, but not so close as to send the dog into a fearful fit (Any more than he has already). He keeps an eye on it, even as he makes sure to survey the garden leading up to the manor itse-- Oh, they're already here. The knight turns to look behind them and still sees the gate some distance off, even though they seem to have barely taken any steps so far. (Ah.. So it's already begun).
The lady Nadia's words bring him back to attention, and he nods, "Of course, my lady. And you need not offer any explanation, the pup is surely a handful to manage." It's a joke, dry, but a joke none the less (And compared to some attempts, the knight might actually be getting better at that). "Please stand back, for your safety," he motions to the side of the door, flipping the glaive so it's point-end down in the grip and carefully opens the door.
Now, in his previous run of the place, doors were not actually as comforting a sight as they seemed. Some led to dining halls, some to libraries.. but some also lead to up-side-down rooms and others to sunken ships. This particular door should have led to the opening hall, as was common with manors. And it did.. of a sort. When he peers in to check the area, it has the general appearance of a hall, but with more of a grassy carpet, a lot more stone arches for other hallways, and what seems to be a set of lawn furniture decorating the side. There's noises deeper within, but nothing seems immediate.. yet.
"It seems.. safe." There's a distinct emphasis on 'seems'. But he enters first, eyes scanning around for anything that might spook them, leaving the door open for her to follow.
. 4 . June: 6
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Post by Nadia on Jun 2, 2021 14:14:19 GMT -6
Nadia's lips quirked in an amused little smile. Sarv's flavour of humour was growing on her, bit by bit - she found it hard to distinguish when something was meant in jest, but the more time she spent around him, the easier it would become. Dylan was more than happy to make a handful of himself for the time being, blinking and panting as his person stepped aside to allow the knight through. The moment of the door opening was always tense. She inhaled, preparing for some nasty surprise or loud noise... but there was none to be had, and the expanse of the hallway looked far more inviting than she had anticipated. Marvellous. Sarv was of course allowed to go first, and she stepped in a few moments later, keeping a bit of distance between them to make sure Dylan didn't overreact. "My, this is rather pretty," She said, spinning around on the spot so she could take it in from all angles. "I do hope it will remain so... which pathway should we take, sir? Shall we play paper, scissors, stone?" A tease. A speckle of fireflies were visible along to the left, where the stone archway opened onto wherever it would take them next. "This way, I think. These bugs are beautiful." [7]
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Post by Èdan on Jun 2, 2021 15:11:46 GMT -6
The place has an aesthetic to it, as much he can't deny, but the previous incursion left him with a solid dose of scepticism regarding the 'remain so' part. "I would hope so," he agrees, finishing the survey of the area. He seems content to deem it properly inspected, as the posture relaxes some. Their footfalls are at least soft, due to the grass, but the sounds somewhere in the distance still leave him vaguely disquieted - Each month had a 'theme', he later learned, and he hadn't had the notion to check for the current one.
The knight faces her when she offers to play for their direction, and the helmet doesn't quite detail the expression, but there's something of a questioning posture. Whether it is because he isn't quite so familiar with this game, or he's unsure if it would help in the current situation remains unclear. But before he can even answer it, the lady has already spotted something to their left and gone to inspect it, leaving him to follow with some caution in his tone, "Ah, be careful, my lady. The manor can be home to all sorts of oddness, and some bugs might be.." There's a pause as he searches for a word other than 'nightmarish'.
"..Unfriendly." he finally settles.
. 5 . June: 8
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Post by Nadia on Jun 2, 2021 16:02:59 GMT -6
With things having settled down, Nadia felt confident to set Dylan on the ground once more. He was on the long leash, so as long as there weren't any accidents with it snapping, they'd be fine... but he was ever wary of Sarv, skirting as far as the cord would allow him. How peculiar. Sarv's words got her thinking, too. Could the pretty things truly be unfriendly? Anything was possible in the mansion, but it sounded so unlikely, from something so beautiful. Still, she heeded his warning, and kept a respectful distance even as she drew up to observe them. "You're right, of course. Ever sensible," She said, with a tease still in her voice. "I wouldn't want to make trouble for us-- oh, my!" The shriek of a firework being set off in the distance had startled her. Dylan stood at attention also, his ears tipped forward - it was not close enough to be terrifying, but he was eager to know what was going on. "Goodness me..." It exploded into a shower of gold sparkles, as if it was beckoning them. "The place is... lively." [9]
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Post by Èdan on Jun 2, 2021 16:20:52 GMT -6
"It is only sensible to remain cautious, when the surroundings remain unclear," he intones. He would smile if he could, because like as not, the nature of the manor meant that trouble would certainly have no issue finding them, whether invited or otherwise (And if the previous excursion was any indication, it would keep finding them).
The thought doesn't even properly finish itself, before a sudden noise catches everyone's attention. The knight's head snaps towards it, glaive half-way already raised before he's able to recognise the true distance of it. For half a second, he looks almost as concerned about the fireworks as the pup was of him, in a bit of an ironic twist. The glaive lowers slightly again, although he doesn't exactly relax - The light show from the explosion is certainly pretty, but he's more concerned about the fact that there's an explosion to begin with. And more importantly, what caused it..
"Yes," he agrees in a low tone that's almost a sigh, "This house is very much alive. It is best to watch one's step, lady Nadia."
. 6 . June: 10
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Post by Ashe on Jun 4, 2021 4:39:07 GMT -6
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Post by Nadia on Jun 4, 2021 10:29:02 GMT -6
There was ever so much waiting to capture Nadia's attention in the mansion, and almost as soon as the firework's golden sparkles had faded, she was looking at something else. This time, though, there wasn't as positive a reaction.
Was it... alive? She could see the flames, albeit differently coloured than what she was used to... but whatever it was, it was responding to the bugs fluttering around it. Like it was watching them fly. It shouldn't have surprised her that it was possible, considering the extraordinary magic of their surroundings, but she was caught off guard. Fire was always destructive in her mind. How could anything live consumed by it?
"Dylan..." She coaxed the houluh close to her, afraid he might get burned if he went to investigate. He was none the wiser to the danger, but still bounded to her outstretched hand, casting a severe glance in the knight's direction. "Do you think... they will be friendly, Sarv?"
[11]
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Post by Èdan on Jun 4, 2021 16:01:52 GMT -6
There isn't an immediate recognition, as the knight seems preoccupied keeping an eye to their surroundings beyond the explosion (One never truly knew. Sometimes when you focus on the loud and obvious, there's the subtle and unknown that ends up sneaking up on you). But when he does look, there's a small tilt of the helmeted head, as if he's unsure. "I have.. not encountered this kind of situation." he explains, moving a little closer, but seeming equally as unsure of this.. fire mote, as the lady herself.
"There are some creatures here that can be friendly. Or curious. They tend to cling." Like the astral bear and the dark dove, which ended up following him around all the way home. A part of him had believed they were also figments, because they didn't seem bothered by him, unlike every other living beast. But no, he had stepped through the gate of the manor, back to the real world, and the bear and bird continued to be ever bit as real.
"All the same, it is best to let it's intention be known first, rather than assume.." he leans closer to inspect the fire mote and june bugs, while a butterfly flutters in from behind them and lands on the horn.
. 7 . June: 12
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