redsworn ♪ i'm free, i'm free!

[chosenfake]

Who: Luke and people in the red flight.
What: Luke is back and he feels kind of dumb. He also made... some mediocre food.
Where: Ruby Sanctum
When: Post-kidnapping/rescue! It's a little backdated. So what.
Warnings: None.


[A. Post-kidnapping!]

[When Luke trudges back into the sanctum after being kidnapped, he looks exhausted. He's covered in dirt and he looks about as disheveled as one would expect. But he's okay, and he's in one piece, so that's what matters. He gets some odd looks from the dragons about, maybe because he was dumb enough to get himself kidnapped, haha...

He hasn't slept for several days, if the haunted look in his eyes is any indication.]

[B. Sometime after that, before/during/after Qilby's plot, idc.]

[After sleeping for about eighteen hours straight, Luke finally wakes up. He'd kill for a meal that wasn't stereotypical elven fare. After an hour or two, he returns with a couple of wild quail-like things. They smell pretty good on the fire, and the gently pan-fried chicken is soon finished.

He made some rice to go with it, but it's really dry. Like, really dry. Don't even look at the salad, he managed to accidentally dump a cup of vinaigrette on it and it's no good.

Whether he cares right now is debatable.]

Comments

b

[telaari]

[Fortunately, when you've lived off mushrooms and anything you can dredge up from the swamp for 30-odd years, dry rice and soggy salads are definitely not the worst meals you've ever had. Vas takes her meal without complaint, at least outwardly. She could use a drink, preferably something mildly alcoholic, especially after taking a second helping of the rice.]

[But it's all edible in the end. A lack of beer isn't his fault.]

So I see you've finally woken up. I thought you would take another six hours of sleep, at the least.

[chosenfake]

[He's not even old enough to seriously drink by Auldrant standards. Not that he can do much about that right now.]

I feel like it, [he mumbles, though his mood's definitely improving with Vastania's attitude to bounce off of. He runs his hand through his hair. A cold bath, while awful for his split ends, has done wonders to calm that eighteen hour bedhead.

He still needs a haircut, though. His bangs are to his chin, and he keeps having to brush them aside.]

I was hungry, so I got up.

Sorry that dinner's not fantastic-- I'm a little out of practice.

[telaari]

[She holds a hand up, as if to stop him from saying more.]

It is fine. It fills the void, and that's what matters most. [Although it is a bit annoying to have gritty bits of rice stuck to her teeth. Details.]

[Instead, she'll try to put that out of mind and focus on him.]

How are you feeling, tiredness aside? This entire week must have been trying.

[chosenfake]

[He'll do better next time.]

Yeah, it was. But... I feel like I understand the Light a little. Even though I couldn't sleep, I felt like-- like I was okay, as long as I could feel it.

[He looks at his hands, though with far less trepidation than he showed in the cage.]

With my old powers, I always knew I could lose control at any moment and hurt someone. [He closes his hands into fists and looks up at Vastania.] The Light is different. When I focused enough, I could almost feel it guiding me. Keeping me calm.

[telaari]

[A smile slowly spreads across her face, wholehearted and proud. It's been a long time since she last saw a student of the Light come to terms with it, and never this quickly; though that may be because he doesn't have a hundred years to master all the arts that a Vindicator must. What's more, he's learned this under her guidance.]

[Luke is going to be okay.]

Before long, you will learn to channel it like Maridian and I do. But whether you wish to become like a Blood Knight or a Vindicator is up to you.

[chosenfake]

[He is human, or at least something resembling it. All the courage and hardiness his race displayed has been condensed, seeing as he has a shorter life than his kin.

He recognizes that smile on her face. It's not something he's used to seeing from anyone. He pinkens somewhat and glances away, feeling sheepish for some reason.]

I hope so...

I've seen Oracle Knights and White Knights, but what's a blood knight?

[telaari]

In our time, those who use both the Light and the sword are called "paladins". Because different peoples have different histories with the Light, their paladins organize themselves differently.

[She gets up and retrieves her shield, holding it so that he can see the holy sigil emblazoned on it. She gestures toward it, tracing the sweeping lines that form the Icon of Argus.]

I am a Vindicator, but I am also of the Aldor and not the Auchenai. I am also subordinate to the Hand of Argus. Humans and Dwarves have their Knights of the Silver Hand. Blood Knights are the paladin order of the Blood Elves, and the Tauren have Sunwalkers.

Because I am Aldor, I can only teach you the ways of the Aldori Vindicators. Maridian is a Blood Knight Master, so he knows their ways. Neither one of us is a Sunwalker or a Knight of the Silver Hand, so I do not think we can teach you their ways.

[chosenfake]

[Luke nods, trying to understand as well as he can... but that's a whole lot of garble he doesn't really understand. What's a tauren? What's a dwarf...? Even the concept of elves is barely familiar to him; he met one or two in Exsilium, but it was exposure to the night elves that solidified his impression of them. Aldor? Auchenai? What's the difference?

He has a lot of questions, but he doesn't want to bother her with ten thousand questions, either.

He thinks on this for a moment.]

Even if you teach me everything you know about the Aldor, I'm never going to be a real vindicator-- not like you. It's like you said, everyone's history with the Light is different. It'd be the same with Mar and his order. It wouldn't be right to pretend to be something I'm not. [He should know that better than anyone.]

If it's possible, I'd like to learn everything I can about these powers I was given... and then I'll make my own decisions about what it means.

People like me, people in this position, we're different than the others who came before. Maybe we need a new order, too.

B

[wilder]

[Zelos approaches the scene after being out. Even if it smells good on the fire, he knows Luke's cooking well enough to have a look of mild concern on his face]

You're...cooking?

[chosenfake]

[Luke pauses halfway through reaching for seconds. He's so tired, he just gives Zelos a /look/.]

Yeah, so what? I learned a lot of recipes on our journey. I'm not bad at all, I think.

[... Salad and rather dry rice aside.]

[wilder]

[Wow such offense. Zelos just holds up his hands in defense]

Okay, if you insist.

[Not like he's eating any. But he'll sit by the campfire]

[chosenfake]

[Luke squints at him.]

Fine, go hungry. It's way better than stinky bear meat.

[HARRUMPH]

[wilder]

Ouch Luke, that really hurts my feelings.

[Except not really because bear meat is awful]

I'm gonna take this as a sign that you're feeling better.

[chosenfake]

[He swallows his food, nodding.]

I'm still pretty tired, but at least I don't feel like I'm going to die.

[Again.]

There was no way I could sleep in that place. We were stuck in cages, not jail cells. It was so... wrong. Like we were animals, or something.

[wilder]

For all we know, they could view us as animals. [Forever the believing the best in people!] That or they just didn't have jail cells.

Still, that's pretty messed up. Did they do anything else to you?

A

[crimsonpride]

[ Asch knows that 'I haven't slept in nearly a week please just kill me now' expression. He's worn it a few times himself, though not since before he arrived in Exsilium months ago. The point is that he's well aware of the risk that Luke might pitch forward onto his face at any moment. Asch detaches himself from the crowd and strides up to walk alongside Luke. ]

You made it back in one piece. [ Good. Luke getting himself killed is a legitimate concern. ]

[chosenfake]

[Luke is surprised to see Asch approach. He almost braces himself for the inevitable lecture, but instead he gets... something kind of gentle, at least nicer than he was expecting. He almost leans on Asch, but he'll be okay-- he can still walk, and he's uninjured. He's just so desperate for sleep he'd totally take a nap on his original right now. No problem. He'll do it, just watch.]

Only because everyone pitched in and helped out. There wasn't anything we could do from inside the cage, so...

[He stops near a tree, then kind of flops up against it.]

I feel like I could sleep for a month.

[crimsonpride]

Well, don't. [ No that Luke could, of course, but Asch is damn near contractually obligated to be an obstinate, joyless stick in the mud. He slows to a stop when Luke flops against the tree, turning to stare at him evenly.

Then he steps closer and offers out a hand to Luke. ] Don't sleep outside, either. Come on. [ He offers, but his carefully neutral expression is ruined by the faint crinkle of his nose. If Luke says a word about it he can expect Asch to drop him--possibly into a lake. ]

[chosenfake]

[Luke blinks at Asch, not expecting the kindness. He looks like he's about to say something-- he even opens his mouth-- but then he closes it, smartly, and gives Asch such a big sweet grin that it's probably worse than some smart ass remark.

He's pretty happy to hold hands, even if it's kind of embarrassing.]

Where are we going?

[crimsonpride]

[ There's no 'probably' about it. Asch looks like he wants to throw Luke into a lake anyway--perhaps a lake of fire instead of the normal kind. His sour expression just gets sourer, leaving him to turn and stomp off towards the camp and all but yank Luke along with him. ]

To get you food, first off. [ Another kind gesture, though Asch doesn't waste any time before he ruins it. ] I don't want you waking up half starved and trying to make something yourself. You'll burn the whole Sanctum down.

[chosenfake]

[Luke's expression, which was surprised and pleased just a moment ago, assumes something kind of like he swallowed a bug.]

H-hey! My cooking's not that bad! It's not like I'm casting Heal on a pot.

[Oh no. He badmouthed Natalia. BUT SOMETIMES IT MUST BE DONE.]

B - SUPER LATE SO VERY LATE feel free to ignore if need be

[guerriera]

[ All told, not precisely how Carolina expected things to pan out. But no one had been greviously harmed (to her knowledge, save perhaps the night elves' price once they knew their captives were gone), they'd gotten their people back, and Carolina had stood watch overnight to lend at least the illusion of security for those who'd been brought back.

Quail certain smells far better than roast bear, however, which is why she eventually heads towards the hearth area that the dragonsworn had taken to using for cooking. Pausing only to side-eye the side dishes (because you can practically smell the excess vinegar from across the glade), she does raise an eyebrow to see a far younger redhead here instead of the usual cook-by-default in Kaneis. ]

I'm going to wager that there's not many more where those came from.

ALSO LATE DONT WORRY ABOUT IT

[chosenfake]

[They do look kind of related, huh? And they always seem to be hanging out together, which doesn't help.

He appreciates her standing guard though. There isn't a lot of comfort around for him, mentally or physically-- especially since he got his ass kidnapped.]

There's plenty. I mean, it took a while for me to find them, but there's probably more. They weren't right outside Silverglen-- they were kind of... southwest, hiding in the grass and stuff. [Vague hand motions, because that helps.] Go ahead and have some.

[guerriera]

[ All the redheads for the red dragonflight. at least no one's accused Carolina of being related to them (yet).

She moves in closer once he invites her to try some of what he has on the fire, mindful not to push too close. He's a lot younger looking than she expected up close, and once again, Carolina feels annoyance that children would be brought here at all.

It smells really good, though, and Carolina is mindful to only take one of the cooked wings at first from one of the birds, using one of the spare smaller daggers she'd picked up from the armory to cut it free. ]

Something to keep in mind, then. We don't want to overhunt them, but-- [She pauses to blow lightly on the meat, then take a careful bite. ...mmmmmmmm yup, already so so much better than bear. ] --they make a good change from red meat all the time.

[chosenfake]

[He's probably got a kill count that rivals Carolina's, but he's kept that under wraps for the most part. He smiles at her as she takes some food, friendly but a little shy.]

I don't even mind red meat that much, it's just bear. Even when things got really thin in Exsilium, I never had to eat something that smells like old shoes.