1921/A Little Child

A Little Child
Date of Scene:	31 March 2015
Location:	Dun Realtai
Synopsis:	Dun Realtai draws the curiosity of a most unusual child: the Summon whelp of Keltonia, Bahu.
Cast of Characters:	346, 735

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Saber (346) has posed:
     Winter, at long last, had begun its slow retreat from Dun Realtai. Named "the Fortress of the Stars" in a fit of sarcasm when its current lord looked up through the holes which had been in the keep's roof at the time, the once-ruined village was gradually being rebuilt under the direction of Union aid. For all outward appearances, it seemed hardly any different than a typical castle town in Middle Ages Europe, but there were tell-tale signs of modernity; LEDs set into street lanterns as well as modern plumbing, insulation, and construction techniques. Some buildings even featured materials which were certainly not native to the area -- bamboo timbers, among others -- in their construction. Yet, it appeared that restoration efforts had taken pains to keep the original atmosphere of the village, apparently conscious of disturbing the lives of the people.

     And they had clearly been through a great deal, already. What seemed to have supported a population of a few thousand now hosted mere hundreds, and the signs of recent calamity could be found here and there. Most noticeably, the outer wall around the town remained largely in ruin, the towers still half-crumbled as if rammed by some great beast. Though there were hints of coming spring, the land seemed sluggish, as if finally shaking off a winter which had lasted far longer than it would have naturally, and much of the land was forcibly barren. Many efforts were already underway to restore that necessary vitality to farmlands and pastures beyond the village.

     Yet, for all their endured hardships, the people -- though not Elites -- were a tough, resilient lot. Fiercely independent, they would have refused any simple fixes to their plight, only accepting the hand of the Union when efforts had been spearheaded by those from an environment and era similar to their own. No traces of massive construction vehicles were to be found, as if everything had been restored by hand and by simple machines drawn by beasts of burden. And though they had been wary at first of the many offworlders to have found their way to the remote village, they had now become acclimated to such visits. Most were polite, and those who remained wary simply disappeared into their homes, stores, stables, or workshops. Children were naturally the most curious and accepting of all, sometimes overwhelming visitors with a barrage of questions about the worlds beyond the mysterious gate.

     However, there were Elites who called Dun Realtai home, most notably the lord and lady. Rumoured to have been knights from a distant world, the two had earned the respect and even loyalty through their hard work and dedication to helping the villagers on their own terms. Unlike the nobles they had known before, the lord and lady often made their way out into the village to talk to them, ask them how they fared, and what they might need in the way of supplies. At the moment, it is the lady of the land who made her way through the square at this moment.

     Dressed similarly to the villagers themselves in plain, homespun tunic and leggings and leather boots with her flaxen hair bound up into a braid-encircled bun, what set her apart were several things. She carried herself with far too much formality to be anything other than a noble trained in proper bearing. And second, magical beings would recognise another of their sort; the jade-eyed woman was not human, as if made from magic itself.

     At the moment, the Servant Saber of the Fourth Holy Grail War and now Lady of Dun Realtai was listening to a report from one of the stablehands of the village. An otherwise unassuming occupation.

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu pauses once he materializes in the realm, his eyes wide with wonder. Since hatching a few weeks ago and with basically nobody paying much mind to his safety, the little whelpling has been spending the vast majority of his days hopping through portals. Some days he'd find a place that was nice and spend some time there, and other times he'd visit places that were forboding...or just plain weird ('Horsies don't talk or have magic, what weird place is this?'). But with this place he seemingly just...paused. This place felt...so similar to home, almost familiar to him.

Rather than scurrying about trying to see the sights, Bahu walks on his hind legs slowly, looking around at the people and the various buildings, taking his time with them. He's off to the side of the road, knowing better by now to not stand in the middle of anything with traffic. Being stepped on is very unpleasant and making embarrassing squawking noises when it did happen is tremendously uncool. He does have an image to project after all.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Lately, it seemed that the place the Knights of the Round Table now called home had attracted quite a few fae and other magical creatures to it. The latest of these visitors came in the form of a kelpie, which seemed fond of staring up at the keep as if waiting to see what the lord of the land would do. Fortunately, the townspeople had been warned away from it, and the Unseelie appeared to be content to peek out occasionally from beneath the murky depths without causing trouble.

     However, many more visitors were of the more mundane sort, arriving through the warpgate either to help with the reconstruction or else exploring...as their latest visitor appeared to be doing.

     Saber was a bit surprised, at first, managing to spy the Summon even with his diminutive stature. The whelp was not one of their fae visitors, certainly. An Elite, then? Dragons were much more common in the multiverse than even in the Britain of her era, though the particular magical energy seemed to suggest a being more like her. No sense wondering about it, however; she had a duty to properly greet their visitors.

     Excusing herself, Saber made her way to Bahu, rendering a proper greeting with a polite bow, her arm folded over her torso. "Greetings, and welcome to Dun Realtai. Have you only just arrived?"

     Though translated through the multiversal effect, the actual language she spoke would be identified as an archaic form of Welsh...or the equivalent language for worlds where a variant of the language was spoken.

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu didn't particularly enjoy his lack of height, but he couldn't deny that it was handy sometimes. Unless someone had taken to lookind down, he'd slide by completely unnoticed, able to look at whatever sights and signage his surprisingly large eyes would pick up on. He stops walking when the lithe girl speaks to him, one of his ears tweaking in response to her presence. From his perspective the bow seemed...oddly cordial, but at least he could get a better view of hher face. He looks up towards her and smiles, nodding his head quickly.

"Yep-yep-yep! I's only just got here. It's nice. I like it here. Is this place another hooman world?"

As he was speaking, he reaches around behind him to a small shoulder-slung backpack particularly tailored for him...or stolen from an appropriately sized toy. In -EITHER- case, he pulls out a slightly oversized notebook and a pencil and begins writing in it.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Once again, the blonde knight was surprised, eyebrows lifting slightly with a bit of an owlish blinking of her eyes. For all appearances, the whelp was as young as he looked. More, possibly. Assuredly not like Fayt or Bahamut or just about anyone else.

     Still she remained unfailingly polite. Chivalry didn't stop with adults, or beings she could understand straight away.

     "The village itself is a human settlement, yes," she agreed. "But there are others which call this place home, as well. The Fair Folk live beyond the village in the woods, fields, and lakes...though they seldom come into the village. Additionally, we have many guests under our roof, several of whom are not human, as well."

     Smiling, Saber nodded. "I am gladdened to hear that it is agreeable to you," she replied. "There is only one rule here; the Law of Hospitality. No one may attack a guest who has been offered hospitality, and guests must respect other guests, the villagers, and the Fair Folk."

     But somehow, she doubted this would be a problem.

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu 's voice reinforces his lack of age, but he does speak well, to his credit. He continues to write in his notebook, but only a few words before he flips it closed and stashing it back in it's storage spot. Judging by the knapsack's size, he didn't have much in there.

He nods rapidly in response to her second statement, speaking in turn. "Yeah-yeah! It reminds me of Keltonia. A lil' bit. Like...the wooden stuff, the hoomans and the magic stuffs too. Magic is good. Places feel weird without it."

In response to her last statement, he flexes his horribly unimpressive arms like a body builder, the thinnest of muscle definition coming out of them.

"Nobody's gunna messes with me with guns like these. They're huge. But I ain't gonna attack no-folks who aren't askin for it so...ah...you don't gotta worry about that. What's your name huge lady?"

Saber (346) has posed:
     The Servant found her curiosity piqued about quite a number of things, from the knapsack -- and lack of much in it -- to the note-taking. It would have been rude to ply their newest visitor with questions, but she could at least venture something of a guess. "You are an explorer, I take it?"

     True, a bit of an apparently young one, but that was by far not the strangest thing she had ever seen in the multiverse, and that much showed in her demeanour. One might think tiny dragon summons appeared there on a daily basis.

     "It is very much like my own home of Britain," she agreed. "The magic here is somewhat different, but not unfamiliar." So she was not one of the natives herself, then?

     In someone else, her smile would have been a grin. That build might not have necessarily been impressive, but the Servant respected the strength of spirit. It was one of the traits she cherished in others, such as her adopted people. "Excellent."

     She knelt then, bringing herself closer to Bahu's level. "I am called Saber. I was tasked with guarding over this land. Might I ask your name?"

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu nods towards her initial question, reaching up with a hind leg to scratch at an ear rather absent mindedly. He looks beyond her for a moment as she speaks of her home, sniffing the air a little bit before returrning his attention to her, a toothy grin still present. When she introduces herself, he noddles quickly again and upon spotting her kneel, he runs up her diagonal legs to her side. His grip is gentle, with only the barest hints of his claws scrabbling across her and being careful not to scratch anything. He climbs her rapidly in a continued diagonal pattern until he ends up on her right shoulder, performing a hand stand on it for a few seconds before sitting down properly on it. This was MUCH more comfortable for the two of them to talk to. He speaks triumphantly, siilarly to one being announced before a social function.

"My name is Bahu. I ams pleased to meet you Missy Saber-lady. You gotsa same name as a sword yeah? Do you like swords too? Swords are pretty cool."

Saber (346) has posed:
     It was turning out to be a day full of small surprises. Saber wouldn't have expected the whelp to have climbed up onto her shoulder, having knelt to be more polite and maintain a respectful distance. But it was not something which repulsed her, and the Heroic Spirit made no move to brush him off, waiting until Bahu had reached her shoulder before carefully straightening up again.

     Not that she really had to go very far, being of diminutive stature for a humanoid being, herself.

     "Well-met, Bahu. And yes, it is the name of a sword...my class designation, in truth. It is more akin to a code-name, or a nickname, as I wield a sword in battle."

     In spite of her short height, the Summon's vantage point would likely be much improved to properly see the sights of the village as the townsfolk continued preparations, some stopping to have a look at their unusual visitor. "Ah, but permit me to extend the hospitality of Dun Realtai to you for as long as you wish to remain here. We have several forms of accommodations...though I fear that I do not know what your specific needs might be."

     Speaking of which, there was another point of proper hospitality. "Likewise, I am afraid that I am not familiar with what manner of food you might require. Our supplies are rather limited, but we are obligated to offer what we are able."

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu did enjoy the heightened perspective, finding the world to be a much easier place to look at when you were at the proper height to appreciate it. He makes himself comfortable on her shoulder, resting on it with both his hands and his legs, similarly to how a feline might.

"Oooh. I know what a codename is. I remember readin' it from a book-thing. Fiction? Yeah, that was the word. Super secret guys use them to fight bad guys."

He starts to go on further but Saber brings the conversation into food and he...rattles with excitement. He smiles towards her with all of his admittedly non-threatening teeth, nodding rapidly again.

"Ooooh don't you worry, I eat lots of things! I'm just like a hooman. THey make good stuff. Like...I like bread, it's all brown and soft and it's really good if you heat it up..." He opens his mouth somewhat abruptly, his fat, triangular tongue seeming unimpressive. He makes a clicking noise similar to that of a lighter, in which a few orange sparks shoot out. After the third or fourth time of this, a small gout of flame shoots from it and pointed away from her, as to not be too startling. Just as soon as he'd suddenly decided to show that, he goes back to being energetic about the conversation at hand.

"Oooooh cheese is really nice too and people like, eat it with this purple stuff that comes out of a bottle? It's good. Weird but good. And then there was this thing I tried called an Egg Roll? It looks NOTHING like an egg or a roll but it was the most bestest thing. All food should come in little tasty crunchy wrappers like that, don't you think Missus Saber?"

Saber (346) has posed:
     Years of practise had honed Saber's ability to control her expressions with an iron grip, and it demanded hardly any effort on her part to present an impassive mask. Yet today, that mask was replaced with a slight smile as she stifled her urge to chuckle at the dragon-like being. In many ways, he reminded her of a young child...and personally, she was fond of children. "Yes, they exist to protect the true identity of a hero," she quipped lightly, apparently not bothered by his presence on her shoulder. "You are quite knowledgeable."

     This time, she could not quite stifle a light chuckle, and seemed to take the sparks in stride. "Well then, we have many things to eat. Bread, cheese, tea...something called 'hot chocolate', which is sweet and quite pleasurable to drink."

     There might have been wine as well, though she had to check on that following an earlier visit from a certain Gaerlean who preferred to drown her sorrows in unhealthy ways.

     "Egg rolls? Ah yes, I am familiar with such things. I am particular to the ones filled with shrimp. Before I came here, I lived with someone who was quite the expert in preparing them." Indeed, Tohsaka Sakura, the Servant's previous Master, was skilled enough to please even Saber's picky tastes.

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu reaches into his backpack for one of the few other things within it; a half eaten package of cheese crackers. He pops one of them into his mouth whole, crunching it quickly so that he could talk afterwards. "Oooh. I like chocolate! Also hot stuff. Some hoomans were like 'You can't eat that, it'll burn' and I'm all like 'I can do anything you can do but betters' and they were all like 'Nuh-uh'. I mean, I guesses you guys can say whatever, but I'm para...uhm...paraperhasing? I think that's the word? Anyways, I ate this red stuff. It did tickle a lil' bit but it was kinda tasty too. It makes eating the green plants much better. Especially the ones that look like little trees?"

He pats his belly a few times before continuing on with his talking. "I know there are like, fish and prawn and like, these red little pinchy hands...crabs? Yeah. Those. Anyway, those are only in the ocean right? Unless they are huge. Like...evil huge. Is there an ocean here? If there is, can I see it? I like oceans. Not bein in one tho. Unfun."

Saber (346) has posed:
     If there was any doubt about Bahu's outworld origins, they had been obliterated once the whelp got to talking. As Saber made her way out of the village and up the hill through the inner bailey to the keep proper, she tried to keep up with the rapidfire chatter from the enthusiastic Summon. "Did they warn you that it was spicy? I prefer spicy foods, myself...it is bland foods I dislike. I am especially fond of curry. I find it to be much more flavourful than the foods of my homeland...though I find that not everyone is capable of enduring it."

     She frowned slightly in puzzlement, trying to discern what particular vegetable Bahu meant. It sounded familiar... "I think...'broccoli'? It is pleasant enough to eat, so long as it is prepared properly. If it is frozen and then broiled in water, it is positively vile." Broiled broccoli, on the occasion she sampled it, reminded Saber of the terrible cooking of late Roman period Britain: bland.

     "A great many," she continued, "Though I did not learn of some until I arrived in the multiverse. What was taken from the sea mostly consisted of fish, such as salmon..."

     The Servant suppressed a shudder; she had seen (and fought) more than enough deep sea creatures to last multiple lifetimes. But she wasn't about to ruin the mood discussing Servant Caster's transformations in the middle of the bay or Dagon. "No, Dun Realtai is entirely inland..."

     Her smile faded slightly, however, at the mention of oceans. "In truth, I do not care for oceans, myself. All too often, the ocean brought invaders from the lands to the west, beyond those seas."

     As if to deliberately lighten that mood, she smiled and changed the subject. "Tell me of Keltonia. Is that your homeland?"

Saber (346) has posed:
     All throughout the trip up to the keep, there was much to see for a newcomer as various villagers acknowledged their lady and her peculiar visitor and busied themselves in their tasks. The activity never lessened even near the keep, though far fewer busied themselves with the specific tasks of maintaining the small castle. Various servants curtseyed or bowed, though Saber made a point of making it clear not to allow her to disturb their work. If she was indeed a noble, she was a strange one in acknowledging the hard work of even the lowest of staff.

     Fortunately, with the disappointment as short-lived as it was, Saber could devote energy to the discussion of magic and other lands. "Magic is more subdued here, I believe," the knight mused. "Yet, it is much more readily present than in other worlds. And there is much which has not yet been discovered in this land. Perhaps there are ruins beyond the forests and mountains?"

     In fact, it might seem that they had not explored much of the land at all, in lieu of preparing for a truly brutal winter.

     Her eyebrows raised slightly as Bahu mentioned missing the world he had come from. "Are you not capable of returning?"

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu watches some of the servants who do their thing, tilting his head at those who showed proper respect to Saber. He starts to open his mouth with a question but thinks better of it, turning over to listen to the noblewoman's words. His tail slowly wavers when the idea of exploration is brought up, but before he could ruminate on it much, she asks another question. He shrugs in return.

"Uhms...I was hatched in that Nojorum place. You know, the big place with all the Union stuff? I dunno where Keltonia is now. I've been checkin all the portals and hopin I'd kinda finds it, but I haven't seen it yet. Besides, I get to see a ton of cool stuff 'round here until I do. But I can feels the magic here. It's why I kinda like it. Can you casts magic?"

Saber (346) has posed:
     The Servant hadn't known Bahu long enough to necessarily pick up on cues, but from what she had gleaned so far, he enjoyed exploring. Come to think of it, once the planting season had begun and the village's livelihood re-established, they should look into having the surrounding lands explored and surveyed. For that, they would need scouts, and perhaps they had one of their first candidates for the task. But that could wait a little while longer.

     With little effort, Saber opened the heavy oak doors carved with intricate knotwork leading into the great hall. Though spring approached, the air remained crisp and cold, necessitating the warmth provided by a large hearth at its centre. A half-rusted greatsword was mounted over the mantle, as if neglected and only just recently some effort was taken to restore it. Following a wordless nod, a servant disappeared into the adjoining kitchens and returning with a tray laden with bread, cheese, scones, and tea. He set it down silently on one of the large wooden tables before bowing and disappearing again, leaving Saber to pour tea into two porcelain cups and seating herself on the bench next to the table.

     "So then, you are truly a denizen of the multiverse," the knight observed. "I too remain uncertain where my original world is, but duties within the Union have kept me more than busy."

     Measuring out piping-hot bread and sweet butter, she divided them onto a pair of pewter plates. "Indeed, there is magic...I cannot 'cast' it, per se, but it is a part of my very being. One could even say that I am 'made' of magic, as it were."

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu looks at the door as they passed it, recognizing a good door when he saw one. Probably would be pretty heavy too. Still though, upon being brought inside he swivels his head in nearly every direction he could reach, taking in the sights. Unlike some others, he didn't seem to be adversely affectived by the weather, but considering the lack of clothing...maybe that was a good thing? He does take a moment to run a hand through his white mane as she continued to walk, keeping it's spikiness in check for the time being.

When the food is brought out his pupils grow; it'd been an uncomfortable amount of hours since he'd returned to a place for a decent meal...and here they were just bringing it out for them? When the sword-lady seats herself he leaps off of her shoulder, landing on the table with a pleasant thump. He takes a seat, pulling up one of the offered scones and stuffing the entire thing into his mouth at once. He puts in a few loud chews into the tasty pastry before swallowing it whole, licking his lips a little bit.

"Yous magic too? I'm magic too! That's pretty nice...but I don't think I see a hooman magic-thingie before. Are you a summon like me or are you somthin' else?"

Saber (346) has posed:
     Once more, Saber could not quite suppress a soft chuckle, though perhaps at this point there was very little need to. Besides which, she was in her home, as safe and secure as she had been for /years/. She was always pleased when their guests obviously enjoyed their hospitality, but Bahu's enthusiasm was more than enough gratitude. It was, after all, a mark of honour in her culture.

     "Indeed, I am a summon of sorts, the most powerful form of familiar in my world," Saber noted without boasting. "However, Servants such as myself are summoned specifically to battle in a war which lasts merely a fortnight. However, I Unified at my own War's conclusion, and now I have a much broader purpose."

     The knight paused briefly for a sip of tea. "I was human, many years ago, as were all other Servants. And there are others out in the multiverse as well who are no longer confined to their own Wars. But we are all, essentially, summons."

Bahu (735) has posed:
Bahu grabs two of the bread rolls provided and a hunk of cheese, sandwhiching them together. He then opens his mouth and begins making the same harsh *CHIKTH* noise he had before when he tries to spark a flame. It only takes two tries this time though, as a small flame jet shoots from his mouth and engulfs the cheese sandwhich. The fire is pretty weak, because instead of scorching the bread, it's toasting it, and the cheese is slowly melting. When he was finished he had one pretty toasted grilled cheese. He takes a huge bite out of it, licking his lips of any excess orange sticky stuff.

"Oh...uhm...that's pretty differents. Summons in Keltonia is like...makin a friend for a hooman wizard-guy. When you get olds enough, you get a summons and you two are the best of friends an stuff. You help em do the magic thing, or find stuff or run a store of anythin you wanna do. It's pretty neat. The war thing is kinda unfuns though."

Saber (346) has posed:
     For her part, the more human-shaped familiar ate with a practised, regal poise...and more than a normal human being would eat. Apparently, Servants boasted fearsome appetites. It had been fortunate for the beleaguered village that Saber had brought her own special foodstuffs purchased with her own stipend to sustain herself, or else all their efforts to bring aid would have been for naught.

     She refrained from making a sarcastic comment about the magi of her world, a generally selfish lot who summoned familiars as mere tools, whether they were simple creatures used for surveillance or Servants used for killing other Servants to obtain a shortcut artefact to reach the Root of existence itself. Instead, she smiled lightly. "It sounds quite nice," she commented. "A magus summoning a friend. My previous Master is a dear friend, and I speak with her frequently. She is an excellent cook. she did not summon me, but she nevertheless formed a contract with me, and we became friends."

     As for the War..."It is an unpleasant business," she admitted. "I am no longer a part of it, though the prize is to have any wish granted to the winner. It is a call that few can ignore."