4424/A Knightly Audience

A Knightly Audience
Date of Scene:	14 August 2016
Location:	Dun Realtai
Synopsis:	The folk of Dun Realtai meet their newest resident, rescued from the wreckage of the Chaldea Security Organisation.
Cast of Characters:	482, 1028, 346

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Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
  The inner courtyard of Dun Realtai's castle is a broad sweep of short grass and open ground. To one side grows the monstrous guardian oak that looms even over the five storey citadel; to the other is open ground, with short walls around the expansive whole of the courtyard.

  Dappled shade is cast over almost the whole of the courtyard from the spread of its branches. A series of posts have been set up in the middle of the yard; dead trunks from trees that had been cut further down the hill for firewood, sturdy enough to be used for swordplay practise.

  It's here that the steward can be found, clad in his full and gleaming armour, the white of his greatcloak snapping behind him with his faster movements. He has the trunk scarred fairly badly, the gleam of his sword visible against the sun every time he raises his arm, and the sharp sound of wood being cut with every stroke.

  Sprawled under the roots of the oak is Kepas, the fey hound -- it looks like a sleek greyhound, save its face is the empty visage of a skull, and in place of its eye sockets are small yellow lights... oh, and the thing is the size of a large draught horse. Fortunately, it seems pretty relaxed, nose laid on its paws, yellow eye-lights following Bedivere without actually moving its head.

Shielder (1028) has posed:
    Mashu, or as she'd said she was alright with being called, Shielder, had spent the last few days exploring the surrounding region, as well as catching large amounts of sleep. One might get the impression she'd been sleep deprived for weeks with how much she slept, but really it's something else. The entire ordeal was a huge strain on her body and even the expert infusion of magic from Merlin didn't fully stabilize the purple-haired girl.

    No, actually, what doctors would have found (or Merlin) is that she behaves much more like a human than a Servant. Fusing with a Heroic Spirit just took a toll on her, and she seems like a shy girl to begin with.

    She'd not spoken much about herself, and eaten large quantities of food, predictably. She was grateful, at least, but seemed distant, like she hadn't realized the situation she was in yet.

    Today is the first day she actually seems completely awake and mentally present for a change, and her movements stopped being sluggish.

    Appearing in the courtyard, Mashu watched Bedivere from a distance. She didn't want to be a bother, especially not to her host. And it seems to only just now be dawning on her that the man she's looking at doesn't just COINCIDENTLY happen to be called Bedivere and to be a knight. A brief moment where she remembers seeing him cleaving the false Servant in two causes her eyes to light up with admiration from afar, but still she doesn't dare walk over to be an inconvenience.

Saber (346) has posed:
The familiar sounds of Sir Bedivere continuously practising and honing his sword skills were a nearly everyday occurrence. As such, Arturia did not so much as halt in her footsteps as she arrived from the village below. Even now, it was admirable how he held fast to the Eight Virtues, mainraining a proper fitness of form...or at least as much as he was able to after so many hard years. She could not help but smile to herself, pausing to set down the barrel she carried to watch for a moment.

     Once-bare orchards were now bustling with life and crops under the care of the villagers and the meticulous management of the lord she had appointed over them. There remained much work to be done, but at the very least they had successfully moved on the the maintainence stage for the most part. Perhaps soon, more ambitious projects could begin, such as their plans for a school and -- even more on a grand scale -- a new knightly order.

     But for the moment, the flaxen-haired knight-king was content to enjoy what success they had achieved. At the moment, this had taken the form of a barrel of apples preserved in honey and sprinkled with imported almonds, considered an almost decadent treat by knight and king alike. Still, there had been more than enough for the villagers who had been able to return to such things almost as a hobby. She expected that she would return with jugs of brandy on her next trip down, or some other treat which would have been almost wasteful in leaner times.

     Her posture as she watched was languid for her, yet would have been a rigid and proper stance for another person.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
  It takes the knight several seconds to realise that he has an audience, and he's so intent at his practise that it takes Kepas looking up to catch his attention. He blinks a bit, checking a swing mid-stroke and turning to look over his shoulder. His single half-braided queue whips around to follow the motion, and he raises his brows, even as Kepas' whip-thin tail thumps against the nearest root in muted canine glee. Oh boy, someone new!

  Their guest is looking much better, today; less unsteady and downright ill. As much to make a guest feel welcome as to be unobtrusive, both the steward and the non-Elite castle staff have given Mashu as much space as she's needed, only speaking when spoken to and asking no questions.

  He raises his sword. It's the same old blade he's worn since he won his knighthood, lacking even a name, but it's shiny and new-looking in spite of the fact that it's the same old steel. Toph really does work wonders. "Héa!" he calls, across the distance. "Come over here, if you would like to watch; I would not mind--"

  His greeting dies in his throat, oh Lord God why is she looking at him like that.

  A more familiar approach reaches him, then, and without even looking he knows that Arturia is back. Some part of him is distracted enough to look, because he suspects she brought /goodies/ back from the village, and he is in fact a sucker for anything containing apple.

  One might think Bedivere was a horse in a previous life.

  He glances back to Mashu, scabbarding his sword at his hip and beckoning her to come over. "Come!" It's a friendly greeting, if not particularly cheerful; Bedivere is still a reserved man around strangers, however unassuming they may be -- as he has always been, from the start.

  "And you, as well, my lady." He beckons to Arturia, too; with a half-smile that might as well be a grin on anyone else. "What have you got, there...?"

  Even Kepas picks up his head, but if he's sniffing, it's hard to tell what with him having no nose and all. Can he even smell things?

Shielder (1028) has posed:
    It'll take Mashu a few moments to realize she's being talked to, maybe because her mind's already wandered into weird places. Her memories feel fragmented, but one thing she clearly remembers is the long hours-- no, months if not years-- spent reading the records of humanity. Its history, and more relevant to Chaldea, its mythology too. Of course everyone knows the story of the Knights of the Round Table, but to MEET them! This is truly incredible. Does this mean this castle is Camelot? She pictured it larger and whiter, but the bubble of magic maintaining the weather is right out of a story book.

    Hesitantly she walks over to Bedivere, and the now-arriving lady of the castle, pausing for a moment to look at the two. Saber is a bit shorter than she is! Makes sense, she looks a bit younger too.

    Her immediate assumptions are about to make Bedivere pale, though.

    "H... hi! S... Sir Bedivere, right? It's not just a coincidence, it's really you? The Sir Bedivere?" She looks at Saber, and the fact the two look kind of alike does help her make a guess: "So... that must mean this is... Amhren? Or Eneuawg?" Mashu cannot remember the gender of Bedivere's children. Minor characters like that didn't stick out so much in the records, all things considered.

Saber (346) has posed:
Dun Realtai was practically saturated with magic, apparently having become not only a home for several Servants, but a magnet for various fey creatures and the occasional caprious wizard. For some mysterious reason, the presence of those Servants had not made Otherworldly creatures so cautious that they avoided the lands, and in fact had begun to take up residence in the woodlands and lakes beyond. As far as she could tell, the kelpie was still lurking about in the lake even as it refrained from preying upon the villagers and visitors.

     Her smile for Bedivere, as subtle as it was, might as well have been a grin for all her muted expressions. Retrieving the barrel -- something which would have needed burly grown men to handle and certainly not something a tiny girl would have been able to lift at all -- Arturia closed the gap between them before setting it down again. "The villagers once again gift us with apple preserves. I think it would be fair to say that they have learned something of our...vices." Yes, the lord and lady's fondness for apples had become well-known among the people.

     She reached up to give the massive ice hound a good scratch between the skull-head's eye socket ridges, and it might have been disconcering how she seemed to treat the ethereal creature as one would treat a loyal hound, before regarding their newest guest. There was something...familiar about her, though she could not quite narrow down in what way. Nevertheless, she could not very well call herself a knight if she permitted proper manners to lapse. "Greetings, forgive my not having introduced myself earlier."

     Alas, before she had the chance to give her name, Mashu made her own guess, one that achieved an effect which happened only rarely. Saber was stunned into silence.

     Only moments later when she finally retrieved her wits from wherever they had run off to did the Servant turn crimson, even flailing as if to physically dispel that idea. "A-ah...no, I am not...we are not related by blood, nor are we countrymen by birth," she insisted, waving her hands slightly in front of her. "Though, we are both knights..."

     Oh dear, how to explain properly when embarrassment levels had reached critical?

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
  "Oh?" Canting his head very slightly to one side, Bedivere sighs, eyes hooding in an expression of resignation. "Yes, that is correct. I am he; Sir Bedivere of the Round Table, for I presume that is the context for which you have heard my name." Lots of people do. It's still unsettling. "We are far from Prydein... though...?"

  He trails off very slowly as Mashu catches sight of Arturia, and starts throwing out some very unfamiliar names in Welsh. His brow furrows as he tries to think of where he had heard those names in the past... they're not Irish, so they aren't from his /distant/ past... they're Welsh, so perhaps he knew someone in the courts? But no, he had made a point of knowing the knights and ladies of Camelot's court. Neither of those are familiar.

  Apparently he's telegraphing that; he reaches up, rubbing at his jaw with a gauntleted hand, the articulated metal plates ticking softly. "No," he says, shaking his head. "I do not know those names..."

  Wait a moment. Something he had read, somewhere... old Welsh manuscripts; things translated into English... the silver-haired knight squints.

  Oh. Right. Some versions apparently cited those as his children. Adopted, he supposes; he can't ever imagine taking a wife that was not--

  --as his brain catches up with his train of thought, he flushes about as crimson as Arturia does. Coughing into a gauntleted fist, he clears his throat. "No. We are not related, nor countrymen, as--" He stops himself from saying 'my king,' covering himself awkwardly, "--she says."

  He manages to recover quickly; it had always been a signature trait of his, to land back on his feet again. "In truth, this is..." Bedivere hesitates. "This is King Arturia -- known to you, perhaps, better as King Arthur. It was my king who pulled the blade Caledfwlch from the stone, though mayhap you know it best as Caliburn. It was also she who wielded Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory, as bestowed on her by the Lady of the Lake."

  Only then does he remember she's carrying a bushel. Of apples. Apples coated in something delicious. Also, they smell delicious. He clamps his jaw shut and flicks his attention back to Mashu.

  Kepas, meanwhile, thumps his tail all the harder at the attention. For all that he looks like some kind of canid nightmare horror, all ice mist spilling from his maw and horrible skull-visage, he's behaving like a goofy mutt.

  "Aye, though, we are both knights, for my king was a knight before she was a king." He dips his head, briefly, flushing again. It still feels incredibly awkward to speak of that secret /openly/. It was a secret he had been prepared to take to his grave.

Shielder (1028) has posed:
    Everyone likes apples.
    Not relevant, just true.

    Mashu doesn't pick up ont he discomfort she seems to have caused right away; in her mind it was a solid guess, and she had no way to know the stories weren't true. Or rather, that the stories were slightly different. It doesn't surprise her though, she's read at least three versions of the story with some pretty major differences across them. And calling it a 'story' is kind of a misnomer to begin with. A collection of loosely related stories is more like it.

    The knight with the lion was pretty cool.

    Any comfort Mashu managed to gain speaking to the two evaporates when Bedivere introduces the Servant. For a REFRESHING CHANGE, Saber won't have to deal with 'omigod you're a girl!!?' but...

    Well, the purple-haired girl falls to her knees almost immediatly and bows. She doesn't look like she knows how to bow correctly, and certainly not in a knightly fashion. It's the thought that counts?

    "A-Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't know! Y-Your majesty, it's an honor to meet you! I've never bowed before, am I doing it right? Oh god am I messing up bowing in front of King Arthur, t-this is how you do it, right?"

Saber (346) has posed:
Though the people were permitted what luxuries they could afford or saw fit to produce through their own efforts, Arturia had generally abstained from anything she deemed too extravagant unless it was necessary for her image of an ideal king for the sake of the people. Even honey was a rare delicacy, reserved mostly for the treatment of wounds. Though the common people were free to craft mead or pickle apples with it, only the occasional gingerbread was something she permitted herself. Which was why she -- and by extension Bedivere, who sought to follow her example as flawlessly as possible -- had developed a fondness for fruits, and apples in particular. That fondness persisted into the modern era where they could freely enjoy even the brandied pears nobles loved so much. Perhaps even moreso now, when caramel apples and apples preserved in honey had expanded possibilities in ways everyone could partake in.

     Out of gratefulness and perhaps something of their amusement towards the 'noble couple', they were more than happy to share the fruits of their labour. The brandy, she suspected in particular, was likely just as much for their own amusement as for said noble couple's enjoyment.

     In all fairness, Mashu's guess was a perfectly reasonable one, given their similar appearance and the stories written long after Arturia's death. However, that hardly made it any less embarrassing. Not as much as her former Master's assumptions, certainly, but embarrassing enough. Fortunately, she recovered quickly enough.

     When she had first arrived in the multiverse, Arturia would have summoned up her regal bearing -- even moreso than the prim and proper stance which came naturally to her through years of constant practise -- enough to render a proper, if aloof, acknowledgement. She had been, after all, a king, and her ststion carried with it certain responsibilities to act with proper grace and regal bearing. That was what the people had wanted and needed. But in Dun Realtai, she was no longer the King of Britain. She would always be the King of Knights, but Arturia had come to think of her place in their new home in a much more modest way.

     "Ah, please, do not trouble yourself," she reassured the demi-Servant. "I have not been Britain's king for many years. Here, I am simply Arturia, lady of Dun Realtai."

     But wait...if she was the lady of Dun Realtai, and Bedivere was it's lord, what could /that/ mean?

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
  The silver-haired knight folds his arms, frowning just a little when Mashu displays a distinct lack of flusterment over the king's gender. Really? Almost everybody comments on that, and it's a bit surreal for someone not to pay it any notice at all.

  He does jump a little when she throws herself into a bow so fast, though, armour clanking slightly at the startle. She's not going to hurt herself, is she? Bedivere makes a pacifying gesture with both hands raised, though. "Please, ease yourself. You have committed no wrong."

  "In truth, this place is much smaller than Camelot ever was," Bedivere explains, gesturing toward the citadel. "Where Camelot had many spires, towers and battlements and outbuildings, Dun Realtai is but one citadel, at the top of the hill. In truth, I know not why it was built, nor what it was made to defend against... but it has, thus far, proven a peaceful place; a place of rest and recovery."

  Even for him, honestly, though there are still familiar shadows beneath his eyes. They'll probably be there for the rest of his natural days, no matter how much he sleeps; that, and that slightly haunted look behind everything. For now, though, he manages a half-smile. "And we are indeed glad to have you as a guest in these halls."

Shielder (1028) has posed:
    Mashu spends a few more moments bowing, and it takes both of them telling her to get up for her to actually consider it. She's about to ask if this is actually Camelot with a new name, but Bedivere pre-emptively snipes that answer.

    "S-- sorry, it's my first time seeing the outside world, and I read so many stories but never met anyone outside Chaldea. And now I'm meeting King Arthur and Sir Bedivere! I couldn't... not bow, it's just the respectful thing people do, right...?"

    She's pretty sure kings get bows even when off their throne.

    "But... this isn't a bad place. It feels comfortable. So even if it's not Camelot, it's home, right?" Wait, that reminds her. "Are there... other knights here? Wait! No that's not what I wanted to ask first! ... who's the man who kissed me?"

    That is important.

    "I-I mean, I'm thankful, he restored my magic, but it was sudden!"

Saber (346) has posed:
It had been somewhat surprising that the girl had not responded with the usual stunned reaction upon learning that King Arthur was, in fact, a woman. Or, as many assumed form her appearance, a girl no older than fifteen years of age. She had to admit it was a welcome change of pace, though the alternative had been a sort of deference she hadn't experienced for some time. One that, in truth, she had never felt particularly worthy of, but now the front of the distant, superhuman king was no longer the necessity it once was.

     Well, the superhuman part was as true as ever.

     Regarding Bedivere, Arturia nodded. "Aside from the citadel, the differences are many. The village remains a small population, albeit we host many visitors from other worlds. Further, Dun Realtai has acquired something of a...reputation as a haven, even neutral ground. I do not wish for it to become like Camelot."

     She did not elaborate further, however cryptic that might have been. Instead, she smiled faintly at Mashu. "It is proper protocol, yes. I do not expect it from those who are not my subjects, however, even were I to remain as Britain's king."

     Her smile became coloured with what could only be fondness. "Indeed, this is our home now. Some of my knights have returned...though I fear I have not seen Sir Lancelot in some time. But you might meet Sir Gawain or Sir Mordred in the near future."

     Sea-green eyes narrowed in suspicion over the revelation that someone had kissed her, however. "Did this person have long white hair and blue eyes, with a strange marking on his face?" Oh yes, she was more than sure that had to have been her troublesome former tutor.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
  "I can understand that. Only, there is no need to bow to us. She is no longer a king, and I am but steward of this place. I am no lord; I am of no especial status." Bedivere shakes his head, confident in his answer. "I merely watch over this land for the benefit of its guardian spirit during the spring, summer, and autumn months. But we are not royalty -- merely servants of the people."

  Yeah, he takes that whole knight-ing thing seriously.

  Shifting his weight, Bedivere cocks his head slightly, regarding Mashu with a mild violet eye and really studying her. He hadn't had time to really commit her features to memory during the battle; he had been entirely too busy freaking out about fighting Fergus mac freaking Róich. His nerves were a little jangled that night.

  If anything, he seems uncomfortable at being recognises, or praised in any way. Painfully modest; that's not something the records remember well. He splays his fingers, articulated gauntlets ticking softly at the motion. "That it is." Dun Realtai being home, that is. "There are other knights here, as well, though predominantly staying on as guests rather than residents. They come and go as they--"

  Oh wait she's got another question, one that brings him to rest his face in a hand and sigh in exasperation. "That was Master Merlin, aye."

  "However, I must needs excuse myself, here," Bedivere offers. "I should not like to be a poor host, but I have duties I must see to, and a marked need for a good, hot bath," he adds, wincing slightly. He's been trying to conquer the big black stallion pastured at the bottom of the hill. The horse has been winning that conquest by a long shot. It hurts. And when it doesn't hurt, it aches. "My apologies I could not tarry longer, Miss Mashu." He folds his arm at his stomach, bowing to her European-style; hair momentarily falling over his face. "I look forward to speaking with you again at length. No doubt you must have many questions, and I shall be happy to answer them, if I am able -- at another time."

  With another bow and a half-smile -- half-smiles seem as common to him as smiles in anybody else, slightly melancholy, slightly self-depreciating somehow -- he turns to take his leave, cloak fluttering behind him.

Shielder (1028) has posed:
    "Yeah! He was kind of handsome, looked like a magus--" Mashu begins answering Saber, before Bedivere answers. Internal squeeing happens. EEEEEEE I KISSED -THE- MERLIN? EEEEEEEEEE wait isn't he thousands of years old or something, isn't that kind of creepy?

    ... but it was MERLIN.

    ... still kind of creepy now that she thinks about it.

    She's about to snap out of it, and ask Bedivere and Arturia about Camelot and the other knights and hey can I see Excalibur???, but Bedivere has DUTIES, and Mashu would not be a poor guest and keep him from his work. Or the lady, for that matter!

    "O-Oh, it's alright! I'll um, I think I'll stay here for a little bit while I figure out where I am now. Like I said I've never been outside Chaldea, so... I can't wait to see the rest of Earth and other places! If there's anything I can do here to help, please tell me! I was a clerk, or... something like that. I don't really remember much. I can handle paperwork and stuff like that, or I'm willing to learn other ways to earn my stay!"

Saber (346) has posed:
"In truth," Arturia added, "We have always been servants of the people...whatever noble status we have in Dun Realtai is mere formality. For the people, it simply means that we oversee, manage, and co-ordinate the day-to-day operations of the village. But as knights, we are charged also with the defence of Dun Realtai. We have been most fortunate that there has been little in the way of hostilities, but we cannot afford not to remain vigilant."

     Taking this knightly thing seriously, indeed.

     The Saber supressed the deep sigh she felt. Admiration of Merlin was a given, and Mashu was far from having been the first to react in such a way. Sadly, whatever admiration anyone had was often quashed, and gleefully so by the mercurial wizard. "I cannot say that this news is surprising," she murmured, jade eyes flicking to Bedivere. "Do do otherwise would be against his incorrigible nature."

     But the moment passed quickly enough, and she smiled faintly to Bedivere and the girl as she lifted the barrel once again. "Ah, I had been about to bring this to the kitchens and prepare some tea. If you would like to join me, please do not hesitate."

     She chuckled softly, barely more than a breath. "As for paperwork, we would certainly appreciate assistance, but do not feel as if you are obligated. Dun Realtai is, above all else, a haven."

     With that, she continued her task of delivering a treat that would be depleted soon enough.

Shielder (1028) has posed:
    "A-Aaah..." Mashu listens to Saber attentively, and one could notice her eyes have lit up against since last time. It's possible it's because of the King of Knights' unnatural, almost supernatural charisma. It might just be her words, too. Mashu doesn't keep her reasoning very secretive though! "Y-You're so... everything the legends said! You're really the King of Knights! Humility and presence somehow combined into one!" Those are fangirl squees between words, by the way.

    As Bedivere leaves, the girl's attention turns to Arturia fully. Seeing her just effortlessly pick up a barrel of apples caused her to stare for a few moments, but she knew enough about Servants to know they are powerful. She is probably assuming Bedivere is one too, by default.

    "T-Tea with King Arthur?! Do I!"

    She definitely wants a piece of THAT action. 'Action'. It's really just an excuse to stare some more and be overwhelmed. Though, some ulterior motive does exist.

    As they walk towards the kitchen, Mashu explains: "A-Ah, by the way... I... w-well, when the accident happened, and that Servant gave his life to save me, because I was dying... I gained the ability to summon my own version of his armor and shield... I tried to save the other people near me, but because I was still wounded I could barely put up a fight against the enemy Servants. Would it be presumptuous if I asked if... you guys can show me the ropes? Of fighting? I don't want to just stay here and eat your food and sleep, I want to be like you! Fighting for people who can't."