2086/Of Water and Ground

Of Water and Ground
Date of Scene:	24 April 2015
Location:	Dun Realtai
Synopsis:	Toph visits Dun Realtai to discuss further things she can do to help out, and she also gets told creepy tales by Bedivere himself.
Cast of Characters:	20, 482

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Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Things have been really quiet lately, which is perhaps not so strange considering the circumstances. It's clear that recent events have had their effect on Toph, considering there have been far less nickname calling, far less commenting on stuff. And what little things she has said on the radio the last days have been scarce and lacking her usual energy.

    But she's /trying/.

    Dun Realtai is a place that doesn't remind her of her supervising officer, at least. And it's a place she hasn't been too many times, which might be why she isn't overly familiar with all the areas of it nor the various rules in this place. Besides, how could she know all things considering she comes from a different world and culture? That might explain why she's walking next to the lake on her way to the Keep itself. And she's also been slightly distracted, though she's not entirely sure if this is any of her business to begin with.

    Do they really let their horses run free around here?

    She had picked up the presence of the equine through the still somewhat muddy ground around the lake when she first entered the area. Rather than walk the long route she had opted to cut across, taking her fairly close to the large body of water. As the creature had ventured closer she had been a bit surprised at how tame it seemed, yet she had no interest in interacting with it now. Horses are still something that Toph is not that used to. It's weird enough with the chocobos, and they are not too different from the ostrich horses that are used in her own country. But horses? No, they are still a novelty to the girl. Besides, she has other stuff weighing heavily on her mind nowadays. If she wasn't used to badgermoles who are much larger by far, she might be nervous, but she doesn't steer from her destination. Though she does wonder as the equine carefully trots along. It doesn't look like it's going anywhere, so she might as well let a guard know so they can catch it or something. For now she's keeping her focus on the ground, her face downturned as she walks onwards with a tired and pensive look on her face as she ignores the four legged creature.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
It's not like horses to follow people with such deliberation.

The plow-horses kept by Dun Realtai's farmers are strong and sturdy beasts, heavy enough to pull the weight of a plow through clay and rocky earth. They're big enough to carry a knight in full armour if the need should arise, and generally very docile. They get along with people. If they feel someone has something to give them, treat or otherwise, they'll come right up to the object of their curiosity. They're too used to people to be afraid.

This one is different. The creature following Toph is smaller than the usual creature, and something about its vibrations feels different. There's an undertone to the way it moves that seems somehow... off, as though it weren't wholly solid, and too light for a creature its size.

Its pace is unhurried, breaking into a trot only when Toph wanders too far away; otherwise, it walks along at a steady distance behind her. When she stops, the creature stops. When she starts walking along the shore again, it follows, always several meters behind. Until--

"Begone from here, Fae!"

--an urgent cry interrupts the earthbender's tired thoughts, and the pounding of hoofbeats that has nothing to do with her dainty equine watcher. This is the thunder of one of Dun Realtai's farm horses, big and reassuringly solid, and someone astride it with the distinct clatter of metal.

There's no mistaking the voice. Even when he's shouting, Sir Bedivere's voice still carries that gentle note, as though raising his voice were foreign to him.

Toph might feel when the strange beast turns and lopes off at an easy canter, as though it were unperturbed; and only cooperating with the lord chasing it because it feels like cooperation.

The farm horse and its rider, however, carry the distinct tension of... fear? His heart is beating very fast, and even the horse trembles, as though it only stayed because of Bedivere's hand clutching its reins.

He's puffing slightly, as though he'd been riding breakneck all the way down the hill to reach the lake. It's a fairly long jaunt from the top of the stone spire, down its western slope, and around to the northeastern facing where the lake curls around the spire's base. His horse is winded, blowing and dropping its head to catch its breath, to an absent-minded pat from Bedivere.

"Do not walk the lake." He slumps a little. "I think it fortunate in this case that you could not see, and that you prefer to walk rather than ride. I see you have met our uninvited guest, the kelpie. Walk with me, please; we should not be near the lake." There's a subtle urgency in his words that almost speaks of fear. "I would sooner not be here, not so long as that thing inhabits these waters. Come."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Perhaps the muddy ground is to blame. Maybe it's the fact that Toph isn't used to equines and the like. But since it isn't actively bothering her then Toph doesn't care.

    Though when the voice rings out with such urgency, when the vibrations of the rider and mount ring through the ground and gives her something to compare it to, there is a slightly confused look crossing Toph's face. The shape of the two equines is a bit different, and the horse following her seems a bit light on its feet. And... is it turning away with Bedivere's approach? The earthbender doesn't move to hinder it, instead she turns her focus to Bedivere, her sensitive ears catching the increased pace of his heart, and also how tense his mount seems. Just what is going on here?

    His words do not explain much to the girl either, and she arches an eyebrow as she raises her head slightly. "What's so bad about the lake? And since when did horses go for a swim?" Kelpie? Is Bedivere and his mount... afraid of it? For what reason? For that matter, why would her being blind have anything to do with it?

    But indeed, she does follow him, walking forward. "I... thought I might as well help out here while we wait for more information on the Dragon Balls," she says as if to explain why she is here. They are working on restoring Dun Realtai after all, and even if she did steady the ground last year there is still work to be done here. For most people it would take hours, perhaps days, to prepare the fields for crops. For a master earthbending it would be all too easy, not to mention far more effective when it's her and she can make sure the earth feels just right with the correct amount of minerals.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
What might strike Toph more curiously is the fact that the creature doesn't continue down the shore, but cuts into the water of the lake. When it does, something about its soundscape seems to shift and change. No longer does it have the solidity of a dainty horse, but something more skeletal, more... sinister. And it stays where it is, floating placidly in the water.

Toph may be blind, but even she might feel the creature's eyes upon her. It doesn't do anything but wait, facing the earthbender and the castle lord, staring.

For his part, Bedivere shakes his head, though only after a second or two does he remember the girl can't see. He hasn't looked away from the kelpie, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "They don't," he answers to her question about horses swimming. "Away with us. I will explain, but not here."

Shepherding her away from the shore, Bedivere keeps a hand on the reins and a hand on the hilt of his sword as they file away from the river, cutting across the fields. In better times, these were crops, but right now it's just wild wheat and barley, not yet ripe. Trees dot the plain. Wind sighs through the fields; the sun is warm at their backs. Quite a change from this place's miserable winter conditions not so long ago. Maybe there's hope for this land yet.

"A kelpie is a creature from my homeland. How one found its way here, I do not know, unless this place is not so unlike the place I once came from." His heart rate seems to slow once they're away from the lake, and the thudding of his horse's hooves becomes more complacent. The animal occasionally rips free more tender stalks of grass as they go, munching contentedly.

Bedivere glances back over his shoulder before he continues his explanation. "The kelpie is also known as a 'water-horse.' I do not know how familiar you are with horses -- I had heard somewhere that your world does not have the same animals -- but they are peaceable creatures, grass-eaters, and long a friend and ally to men, used in times of peace and war as beasts of burden and to pull the plows of farmers."

"Water-horses are similar in name only. They are a creature of the Tylwyth Teg, the Fair Folk, the Otherworld; they are hostile man-eaters who lure travellers to the water's edge and attempt to drown them. Presumably they then devour the unfortunate traveller. They take the form of an alluring white horse, and attempt to convince the human to climb upon its back to ride it. Their skin becomes gripping and they change, becoming a terrible, skeletal creature of insatiable hunger and bones. They will then drag their prey beneath the waves, never to be seen again."

He looks back over his shoulder, shivering. "I have never seen a kelpie, but I had heard stories. I was not raised in Camelot, but in a small village far to the north, in a neighbouring kingdom. A village several days' ride away had brought word of an encounter with such a creature. It had drowned and devoured no less than six of the village's children before they were able to drive the creature away. They found the bones later."

"I... have not yet figured out what to do with this creature. I cannot simply drive it off every time it rears its head from the waters. And I cannot attack it, for it has not yet attacked anyone from the village; furthermore, we are in something of a delicate situation with the Fair Folk of this land. It was their land first, and they are watching us, very closely, afraid perhaps that I will turn out to be a warmonger, rather than a peaceable lord." He barks a dry, sardonic laugh. "My hands are tied until I can think of a suitable means to be rid of the creature."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    When the creature steps into the water of the lake it is a bit harder for her to 'see' it properly. Yet, she does hear sounds. And somehow, its movements sound different. And somehow, she can't help but feel a slight chill running down her spine as the 'horse' looks at her. When Bedivere bids her to follow him, she does not hesitate.

    As they head into the fields she does note how the place seems different since last year, and perhaps the place is heading towards healing the previous wounds it had suffered. The ground does hold promise, doesn't it? With the right amount of work then the people here could get many crops and ensure a bountiful harvest and a safe winter with enough food to eat well. They deserve it.

    It's a bit curious how Bedivere seems to calm down as they head onwards, though she does shrug. "My world has ostrich horses. A bit sturdier than chocobos, really. And not really magical, like mine and... like the ones from Ivalice," Toph settles for instead. "I know horses are normal around most of the worlds, I'm just not used to them." Besides, they aren't badgermoles nor Buster. So they're not on her list of her favourite animals.

    By the sounds of it, kelpies are closer to spirits than actual animals. But when he says they are hostile, Toph blinks. "Hostile? That thing didn't seem hostile," she comments. It did follow her, but it kept its distance. And... they WHAT?! As Bedivere explains just what deceitful things they do, their dietary needs and... Toph comes to a halt where she stands in the field, her eyes widening. For a person who doesn't like water to begin with, for somebody who still doesn't like large bodies of water despite private swimming lessons in a large pool... the very idea is beyond creepy. "It thought I was /lunch/?!" Toph asks, barely able to hide the shocked look on her face. Okay, now she gets why Bedivere was glad that she is blind as well as somebody who would rather walk than ride.

    No wonder Bedivere shivers now, and she can understand only why too well he was uncomfortable being around it earlier. Six children dead... just what did their parents go through? And man, what a horrible way to go. Still, if this creature is so horrible then why the crud haven't they dealt with it?

    It does sound like one hell of a problem. The blind girl does offer a huff, showing just what she thinks of spirits like that. "Good thing it hasn't eaten anybody yet... what about making a tall wall around the lake? I could do that easily. If it follows me again then it's getting a rock to the head, that's for sure!" she states firmly. While she hadn't really cared before she knew what it was, just the thought of it thinking that /she/ would make for a tasty morsel makes her angry! Perhaps it hits a bit too close to what happened last year when her willpower and energy was eaten by that spirit from her own world.

    Still, this sounds far more sinister, really.

    "Can't you feed it other stuff...?" she asks, crossing her arms across her chest as she resumes walking.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"Ostrich... horses?" Bedivere echoes the term with obvious confusion. Britain had been involved in its own disputes and problems, and travel had never been a safe experience in his era. He had not seen the lands to the south and east; including Africa, where he would have seen such animals as ostriches. There were some surviving accounts, bestiaries written by travellers, but they were not always believed.

He shifts in the saddle somewhat uncomfortably, apparently unfamiliar with chocobos, too. So many strange things out there in the multiverse that he still hasn't experienced.

"They are valued beasts of burden in the world from which I and my king hail." He pats his borrowed steed's neck, smiling gently. "As are donkeys, mules, and oxen. Yet most have a special fondness for horses, for they are intelligent, and very brave. I have ridden many brave war-steeds into battle, and they had fought as valiantly as any soldier."

He turns to look over his shoulder, as though scanning for any last trace of the unsettling water-horse. They've long since left the lake behind, though, and only the spire of Dun Realtai rises in the distance; the kelpie had been floating flat on the water's surface, and this far away, it's not visible. It might have even retreated into the depths, for now.

He turns back to face Toph, climbing out of the saddle as she comes to a halt, giving his horse's neck a pat and sliding off the bridle to let it wander for a bit. It's an old animal, and it won't go too far, nor prove troublesome for him to catch again.

Hanging the bridle carefully on a broken stump, he folds himself down beside it, leaning against the rough wood.

"Something like that," he confirms, cocking a mild violet eye toward Toph. "It's something of a delicate situation. Walling it in may be an option, if we are desperate, but it may also be construed as an act of war by the Otherworld. Perhaps you may prefer a more direct route, but I must consider the safety of the people here. There can be no all-out war with the Fair Folk when these people are struggling just to survive. More than that, I believe this land was theirs, in distant times past. I can ill afford to alienate them."

He plucks a stalk of still-green wheat, chewing absently on the end of it. It's not something he would have done in Camelot, but he need not fear any political reprisal for his actions here. He can do what he likes, and the warm, languid afternoon suits itself to it.

Bedivere lets himself flop backwards into the grass, sighing at the warmth of the earth and grass at his back.

"Please do not. If they consider such an action hostile, I have no doubt that the villagers would be the ones to suffer the consequences. Stay away from the lake. That is my solution, until I can consult with Master Loros, or Master Merlin, and decide what is to be done about it." He heaves a sigh, closing his eyes. "They are simply curious, I think, or it would have taken someone by now. I think any other water-horse would have seized one of the villagers long before this point if it were truly interested in making this its territory."

"It watches me," he explains, brow knitting. "The Otherworld, the Fair Folk... I think they wish to see what I will do next, and how I will govern this land. They are concerned, or so I hear from Master Merlin, that I may turn out to be a warlord, rather than steward this land peaceably. Perhaps they are simply assuaging their own concerns, and having a look for themselves..."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    So he doesn't know what ostrich horses are? "Big birds, small wings, can't fly. They can be ridden, they help plow the fields, pull carts. Strong, easy to train," Toph explains with a shrug. "They don't spook easily either, so the Earth Kingdom uses them a lot. It's kinda like chocobos, they are big birds too. But they are magical. The one Faruja got me can summon meteors. As can Cuddles..." Her words drift off, and she sighs slightly.

    When she is warned against using her bending against it, the girl clearly seems to disagree, but she doesn't speak up. She can understand his reasoning too, considering he is responsible for the people here. Still, does a man-eating creature like that only watch them? "It kept its distance from me even while it followed me. Which is good for its sake!" Only pathetic benders need their entire body free to bend. "If you do need to wall the lake off, let me know." She will ignore it for now though, though yes... Toph does prefer a more direct route in handling most matters. If he decides that people should stay away from the lake, then sure. It's not like she wants to go near that thing again. Even if it hasn't eaten anybody yet she's not going to assume anything!

    As for his latest comment about what the spirits might think of him and possibly consider him a warlord? Toph lets out a snort. "The only reason you would have to declare war on somebody would be if they smooched Saber," she points out.

    "So," she continues, not really wanting to dwell more on creepy creatures of the deep, "I thought I would help with the fields. It should be nearing the time to start farming, right?" she asks and studies the earth through the soles of her feet.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"That sounds like what I have heard of a chocobo. Flightless birds, large and strong, useful for pulling loads and bearing riders. I have never tried to ride one, though." Bedivere sighs, shutting his eyes. The sun-dappled weald is a comforting place, warmer and drier than the forests of Camelot. "I am accustomed to horses, though, and I do not think I would be comfortable astride one."

Arturia is plenty comfortable in the saddle of a chocobo, but she doesn't count. Servants cheat. Even so, part of him isn't sure he wants to know what 'Cuddles' is. Birds that can summon meteors? That's kind of horrifying.

Somewhere in the multiverse, Agrias Oaks is laughing herself sick.

"I will, but I doubt the need shall arise." He shifts the wheat shoot to the other side of his mouth, chewing absently on the tough stalk.

He doesn't grace her statement on war with an answer, but she might sense the brief flare of annoyance. His expression never changes, though; to anybody who couldn't sense his internal workings, he might as well have not reacted to the comment... but Toph's senses are special.

"Soon, aye. Some of the villagers have already begun breaking ground." Bedivere doesn't bother opening his eyes. It's a nice day, and the warmth of the sun is deeply relaxing. He can't remember the last time he had the opportunity to simply sprawl in a sunny field, like... like some kind of /peasant/. "I have helped with their efforts, as well. The soil is tough, but not unworkable. Regions of Camelot had poorer earth than this. There is some clay, but not so much that it cannot be dug through; the uppermost layers are rich, richer than I had expected them to be."

His eyes drift open slowly, regarding the branches bobbing and rustling overhead. "If there is anything you think you can do to help, I would not refuse that assistance." His eyes drift to regard Toph, thoughtful. "What had you in mind...?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Riding is something I don't like, I only let Faruja teach me since Nugget was a gift from him. I have no reason to use her for riding, I can't see a thing when on her back!" Toph declares.

    His anger is not a funny thing. No, Toph recalls how he acted after the whole deal with Lute. It's no laughing matter, and sure, Toph does pick up the jump in pace for his heart, how his breathing changes... Let's move to far more pleasant topics.

    Indeed, the soil is rich. And it's easy for her to tell just what kind of earth they are standing on. Toph nods her head, then crouches down and reaches a hand into the ground. Her fingers move into it as if it were butter, and she feels the earth trickle through her fingers. "Lots of stuff can grow in this earth. As for what I could do," she begins, "I could help bend the fields clear so your farms can just plant the seeds. With my ability to sense the earth I can easily tell how much minerals the earth has. That's important in farming, right?" she asks. "Also, I am able to get rid of all those pesky rocks and stuff. You don't want that ruining your plows." For now she resists the urge to flop down on the ground herself. Instead she nods, considering the options. "So what kind of vegetables are you growing?" Who is Merlin for that matter?

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"Horses were a necessity in Camelot," Bedivere answers, "but I have never been shy of them. Gathering more steeds for the king's cavalry was also part of my duties. I know a strong horse from a poor one, and I have some skill in riding and working with the beasts, so it would be strange to me not to have them about."

He reaches back, folding his arms behind his head and closing his eyes again. "I see. That would be useful, but I think the people take a certain pride in running their own plows through the earth. I have been careful not to make things too... /easy/ for them. They are proud, and independent; and they have had that pride much wounded in recent times. Making things too easy would cheapen the hardship they have been through, I think, and I would insist the same in their position."

"Minerals are important," he says, idly turning the wheat stalk to the other side of his mouth, "but I am no farmer. I could not tell you what is needed. The village I was born in lived on fish brought from the sea, and wool from the hills. Our soil was too poor to farm, and the climate too cold and wet. Most farming and crops were higher up, in the hills and lowlands away from the sea."

"A number of them. Some I have never heard of before. Potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, beans, squash..." With a grunt, he picks himself up from the earth, brushing dust and bits of greenery from his cloak, spitting out the stalk and tossing it aside. "Of more importance are the cereal crops: Barley, oats, and wheat. More of those will be planted than the rest. There will be fruit orchards, as well; apples, chiefly. Honey, as well. There will be apiaries near the orchards once they have been established."

Turning, he regards the rough fields with a critical eye. "Many things will grow here. This is richer soil than I recall in D�l Riata; richer even than Camelot. I think the people will do well here once crops have been reestablished."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Let the issue about horses dwell for the sake of somebody who has any interest in it. For now Toph is far more concerned about the issue regarding the earth of the fields. "I could always just help get the earth turned and make sure to get the best earth on top. That's not something that they can do themselves," Toph suggests. Hey, she can respect people who want to do stuff for themselves and not acting like crybabies whenever they have to get off of their asses in order to work.

    Well, it sure sounds like they are going to grow basically everything they can here and in many variants. While Toph doesn't smile she does nod her head. "There are minerals and nourishment in the earth here, though the fields do need to be worked with in order for it to be any good," she says. "Either way it shouldn't take me long to prepare the fields, even less if they want to do most of the job themselves. Want it done today while I'm here...?" She can't promise her schedule won't be busy, after all. And the hunt for the Dragon Balls trumps everything else nowadays, which isn't so weird, is it?

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"That would be welcome." Bedivere turns, regarding the oak trees. "They could do that, but it would take time we do not have, and exhaust everyone able to lift a hoe or shovel. It would be better if you could do that for them, I think, and it would be better for the crops, as well."

Bedivere shrugs, faintly, plucking a bit of grass from his mended white cloak, flicking it aside. "If you wish. I do not mind, either way; there is still sorting and cataloguing of seeds to be done, so the people cannot yet plant either way. It is my duty to ensure we have a correct inventory before the seeds are used, that I might know what level our stores remain at."

"Whatever you feel most comfortable doing." He turns, laying a hand on her shoulder briefly before striding back towards the village, although he takes a roundabout route that doesn't pass by the lake. "Come. Can I interest you in a hot meal, or something to drink?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Then I'll do that," Toph confirms. "Then you guys can know you're getting a good start for your food." Which always helps, right? The people of Dun Realtai needs some help and morale boost after all they have been through.

    It sounds like they are really taking it seriously too, and Bedivere proves himself to be a man of planning and responsibility. "You do need lots of food if your next winter is as rough as the previous one..." Inwardly Toph shudders, thinking of all the snow that made it impossible for her to navigate the area. No, that was /not/ fun! Way too cold, way too much material covering her feet. But then again she didn't want to freeze them off either. Her feet are precious, and she does take good care of them.

    "Bending is what makes me feel comfortable," she shrugs a bit, not pushing Bedivere's hand away from her shoulder as they head onwards. Bending is her life, especially if she can use it for fighting. But why not help out her friends and allies in the Union? Besides, Toph does like showing off her skills and power.

    The offer of food and drink does make her hesitate, though she nods her head. "Some drink." Perhaps she should try eating some too. And the food in Dun Realtai is rather good...

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"You have my gratitude, and that of the people of Dun Realtai." Bedivere inclines his head slightly, although his half-smile speaks of his relief. Having that extra bit of help would be an ideal compromise. The people will still have to work for a start to their crops, but they'll have some of that burden eased. "And you have the gratitude of my king, as well, for while she may not hold stewardship over this place, the struggle of the people is nonetheless a matter close to her heart."

He shrugs and shakes his head to the matter of winter. "I do not know. It has been abnormal weather in abnormal times. Perhaps when winter arrives this year, we will know what it is to be..."

"Very good." The silver-haired knight chuckles, setting forward to gather his horse's reins, leading the animal on rather than climbing into the saddle. It makes for a much more leisurely trip back. "We have come by some high quality cider, and I think it would be to your taste. Non-alcoholic, of course."

He tilts his head, regarding her over his shoulder. "What sorts of things are favoured in your world? I have never been there, even in the course of my obligations to the Union."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Union people are my third family," Toph says as if this is not a big deal. For her it's not, as bending comes as natural to her as breathing. "Don't want your people to starve, and if they are determined to working hard instead of having everything handed to them, then good for them." At least the young girl values hard work, though she can understand that they are busy people. She did already do something that nobody else could do when she strengthened the foundations of the hill and made the lands a fair bit more stable.

    "If the next winter is as cold and with as much snow as last winter, then I'll skip the snowball fight outside and just go for the food and warm drinks inside." Nope, Toph is not joking. Why play in the snow when she can't get any fun from it? As fiercely independent as she is, she does not want to be led around and not know where she is nor what is going on.

    Cider does sound good, and she nods her head. Apples are pretty tasty, and-

    The blind girl blinks when he inquires about her world, and she realizes that he has never really heard about it, now has he? Not about the minor details anyway. "Oh? Well, tea is something most people drink. They say that my world is what most people consider 'asian'. Dried fruits, dumplings, rice..." she begins, all before she considers something. "You should come with me sometime. And I can show you the greatest creatures ever." As opposed to the creature they encountered earlier.