Ranger Commons II

[Rillewen]

@Isolde Alarion

Calithilidis Dringolben - Armory
(some time before the Captain's Meeting/Council, with Mourgan)

Standing back, Cali watched Mourgan's attack with a small nod of approval. That was definitely more force than she could have used. Turning her attention to the armor, she tilted her head to see how far the spear point had penetrated. Not much, from the looks of it. After it had fallen away from the maille, she stepped forward to take a look at the spot, carefully examining the rings which had just been subjected to attack. Each still looked quite solid, and earned another nod of approval from the smith. "Excellent." She was pleased to see that it had held up so well, and further pleased to hear the ranger's declaration that he would feel secure wearing it. "I'm glad to hear that," She smiled.

"Thank you, Ranger Mourgan, I appreciate your help. I wanted to be certain it was of the highest quality, before bringing it to your captain." She explained. She picked up the spear from the floor and checked that the point had taken no damage -not that she expected it to have- and leisurely held it upright. "That should do it... no need to over-test and wear the armor out, before it's even left the armory." She smiled. Having seen how much force Mourgan had put behind the spear thrust, she felt fairly confident that any enemy trying the same thing would meet with the same amount of resistance. Worn with padding underneath the maille, the same blow might knock the wind out of her, but it ought not injure her too much, unless that enemy were a troll or something with strength beyond that of humans.

After returning the spear to its place, she checked on Mourgan's helmet. It still needed to cool a little more. "I noticed some of your padding is a little worn, so I thought I'd replace it," She commented, glancing around for a moment, before remembering where the padding and such were stored. Being new to this place, she was still getting familiar with where certain things were kept, but she had remembered that there was a stash of ready-made helmet pads and straps for the armor, and other such things, to make for quicker repairs when needed. "I think this ought to work," She held a pad up to the helmet, gauging the size, and nodded thoughtfully. "You were in the army before this, weren't you?" She guessed with a small, knowing kind of smile. "How long have you had this helmet, and your other armor?" She wondered, partly out of curiosity what sort of condition the rest of it was in, but also with her own private reasons, curious who had made them, and how long ago.



@Arnyn and @Isolde Alarion

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - Some point after the Captain's Meeting
Dorm 3

Trastion lowered his hand holding the still-damp shirt, realizing that the room inspection thing wasn't quite over yet. Arnyn was quite a hero, rescuing them both from the Brian the Tyrant, but there was still the matter of some sort of discipline left to dish out. It would have been foolish to think they were getting off the hook completely, he guessed. He knew from only a couple of training sessions that Arnyn could be a bit demanding, but so far he had observed her to be kind and fair, as well. Still, that was on the training grounds, and this was a slightly different matter, and he wasn't quite sure what to expect. Whatever the case, though, he was absolutely sure that he'd rather take whatever she dished out, than anything Brian would have said.

Hearing Mourgan's assignment, Trastion felt a bit relieved for his roommate's sake. That didn't sound too bad. He was glad for that, because Mourgan hadn't really done anything wrong here. As Arnyn went on to chastise him for having failed to help out his roommate, Trastion hung his head down in shame. He might have argued that, barely knowing Mourgan, he didn't know if the guy would object to Trastion touching his stuff. But she had a point, bringing up the family thing. She was absolutely right, and he felt awful, now that she pointed it out. If his brother had been the one in Mourgan's place, Trastion would definitely have covered for him anyway he could, and vice versa.

While he didn't like hearing that Brian was right, it stung him far more, having to acknowledge that he had let his roommate down. He couldn't bring his gaze back up to look at either Arnyn or Mourgan, for a moment, despite hearing Mourgan say that it was alright. It wasn't alright, not for Trastion. Though Mourgan didn't sound terribly upset by the mug thing, it upset Trastion. It was more than just the mugs, to him. Mentally, he vowed that nothing like that would ever happen again, if he could help it. Brian was the common enemy here, and today.. he had won. Tomorrow... would be a different story, if Trastion had anything to say about it.

He lifted his eyes again when he heard his own punishment declared. All of the beds on the whole floor? He paused, thinking back.. he'd counted quite a few while exploring before, and made a quick, mental estimation of how many beds that meant he would have to make tomorrow. Yikes. But, though his eyes widened slightly in reaction upon hearing what he would have to do, there came no protest from him. It seemed perfectly reasonable, despite him not liking it. He couldn't deny that it fit the 'crime', as it were. In fact, interestingly enough, both his and Mourgan's chores fit the offense very well, he couldn't help noticing with some amazement at his instructor.

"Yes ma'am...sir?" A slightly puzzled expression crossed his face as he tried to decide which was appropriate... after hearing Mourgan call her sir, it seemed maybe that was right, but she wasn't a sir, she was a lady, and so he was confused... with a slight shake of his head, he tried to dismiss the confusion before it gave him a headache. "Thank you, lieutenant." He added, immensely grateful that she had taken over from Brian. Who knows what absurd thing he would have them doing, for such ridiculously insignificant offenses. He was also grateful to her for the tip about the alcohol. Hopefully, there would be no more ink on the floor by tomorrow's inspection!

Another thought occurred to him, a moment later. "Um, Lieutenant," He hesitated, but plunged ahead with his request. "I-I'd like to be assigned to that dish duty along with Mourgan, please." He cleared his throat before explaining his reasoning. "As you said... it's equally my fault about the mugs, I should've taken care of them myself, since he was out and didn't know about the inspection. So, it seems only right that I should have an equal share of the consequences." It was difficult to ask for additional punishment, but he hoped maybe this would make the chore go more swiftly for Mourgan, and might also help Trastion make up for landing him in this trouble, at least somewhat.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen

A breakthrough indeed... Arnyn thought she would talk to Pele about this as well. In a day or two, perhaps. So the words said could simmer, and so another conversation could consolidate them and not see them fade away too easily.

Recognizing how difficult it had to be for Pele to maintain what composure was left to her, Arnyn now used her position as second in command to summarize the plans and orders up to that point.

"One: We try and find Shamara. When anyone were to catch her, we are to try and get more intelligence on Relic and her organisation. This applies to all of us, although hopefully Isys'... informant... will let her know more about Shamara's location soon enough."

"Two: We keep a careful eye on Amber in general. Kaylin and I will be assigned as her instructors and will try and find out whether she's the orphan girl she claims to be, or whether she might be..." It still felt strange to say. "...Relic in disguise."

"Three: You want us to investigate any crimes that might be related to Relic and that might tell us more about her whereabouts. Are you assigning anyone to the crime investigations? And if so, if there anywhere you would like them to start?"

***

Barracks, Room 3
@Rillewen
@Isolde Alarion


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen

Mourgan's nod and assurance he would do as she said, pleased her. The Ranger took his punishment in stride, so to speak. As for Trastion, Arnyn saw his eyes widening minutely, but he did not speak against her or glare at her, as he had done with Lieutenant Brian - and that was very important to her.

"Yes, somewhere," she said neutrally, giving Mourgan a discerning look at his reply. "Very well. Perhaps not immediately, however. You have just returned from duty, and I am sure you would like to clean up after being in your gear for hours in this heat." The suggestion was not so much a suggestion, really. "Which happens to work out well, because I would like a word alone with Recruit Trastion. Feel free to take what you need first, and I assure you we won't be long. By the time you return, I should have already retrieved my own room key from the Barracks Master." Meaning: she would be gone and the men would have their room for themselves.

Trastion's plea for also being assigned on Mourgan's dish duty, gave her pause. Arnyn slanted her head. "You wish to assist your roommate with dish duty?" Her dark eyes settled on Mourgan. "And do you wish this assistance, Ranger Mourgan?"

[Isolde Alarion]

Barracks Room 3
Ranger Alarion w/ Lieutenant Arnyn & Recruit Trastion
@Arnyn @Rillewen

He was glad to move onto another subject when the Lieutenant spoke of cleaning up after being on duty. "Yes Sir." He answered relieved to hear he could go clean up but before he could get his things Trastion asked to join him on dish duty. One brow quirked upward in surprise. That was a first, someone wanting to do dishes.

When Arnyn settled her gaze on him to ask if he wished to have such assistance his stubbled chin bobbed slightly. "Yes Sir, if he wishes to help I will accept it." He didn't have a problem with help as odd as it was.

"If you'll excuse me Sir. I'll get cleaned up now." He motioned to his trunk and moved to retrieve a fresh set of clothing. Normally he would be stripping armor off but with Arnyn there he chose to just keep it on and head to the wash room. "Sir." He nodded with respect as he exited the barracks room.

[Isolde Alarion]

Ranger Mourgan Alarion
Armory w/ Smithy Cali
@Rillewen

He watched her assess the damage, if any, to the chain maiile. She seemed to have a keen eye for her work and he watched her inspect it thoroughly, even the spear. After returning the spear to it's rightful place she went back to his helm. Hearing his padding was a little worn he nodded lightly as she said she would replace it.

He silently watched her hunt down a pad for his helm , replace the worn one then asked if he were in the Army before and how long he'd had the helmet and other armor.
"Yes, I joined the Army when I was fifteen. Six years ago. I did take a leave, unauthorized, for nearly a year and a half so when I returned six months ago some of it had to be reworked to fit me. I uh.." he hesitated abit. "grew, while I was gone." That was putting it lightly. When he returned most of it didn't fit anymore.

[Rillewen]

@Isolde Alarion

Calithilidis Dringolben - Armory
(some time before the Captain's Meeting/Council, with Mourgan)

Six years ago. Cali glanced curiously at him, briefly, then back down to the helmet. "I could tell by your choice of armor." She mentioned, in case he wondered how she'd guessed he'd been army before. She took a wad of steel wool, beginning to polish up the part of the helmet that she'd worked on, to get the soot and residue from the coals off of it. "I had two brothers who were in the army," She added quietly. "They... died, about a short while before you joined, else I would wonder if you might have met them." Focusing on her work, she tried not to let her thoughts linger on that sorrow. Once the formerly-dented section of the helm looked good and shiny again, she switched to a polishing cloth for the finer work of polishing.

Hearing that he'd 'grown' during the year and a half absence, Cali wondered if that was mostly muscle, seeing as the guy was rather big-muscled. But she didn't comment, and only nodded as she set the cloth aside and worked on fitting the new padding into the now-gleaming helmet, attaching it securely inside so that it wouldn't shift and be uncomfortable, and would protect his head from the worst blows. A draw string would tighten the center of the padding to draw it up to the comfortable size for his head, though she tried to match it to about the same as the old one had been. "There, you may need to adjust the fit somewhat, but that should do it." After handing the helmet back to Mourgan, she brushed her hands off and smiled faintly. "It might not be amiss to bring the other pieces of your armor by at some point, so I can check for any further wear and tear, or anything else that may need to be fixed before facing an enemy." She suggested, unsure whether he would disagree.. Cali was well aware of how stubborn some men could be, and had no idea whether Mourgan would be like that or not.

@Arnyn

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - Some point after the Captain's Meeting
Barracks; Room 3

Giving a brief nod in confirmation to what Arnyn asked, Trastion glanced briefly toward Mourgan, wondering if he'd refuse the offered help, which might indicate he was displeased with Trastion and would not want to work with him. He was slightly relieved to hear him say that would accept the help. Trastion refrained from giving a smile too big. Not that he wanted the dish assignment. That, in itself, seemed very much the opposite of fun. But he didn't like the idea of Mourgan having to do it alone when he hadn't 'failed' the inspection alone. Besides, it might give the two of them a chance to talk and get to know each other a little, which was the first real step toward friendship, or so he figured. Either way, he felt a little better about things.

He grew a tiny bit worried, however, upon hearing that Arnyn wanted to speak to him alone. What could it be about? Something to do with Brian, maybe? He was curious, and a little apprehensive. As Mourgan took his leave of the room, Trastion kept silent and still, mind racing with wondering what further trouble he had managed to get into. After a moment he realized he was still holding that shirt with ink all over it, and wondered what would be the best thing to do with it. It seemed a bad idea to toss it on the floor, so he continued holding it down by his side, one hand nervously rubbing a fold of the fabric between his thumb and finger while he waited to hear what his instructor wanted to speak to him about.

[Pele Alarion]

Captain Pele Alarion
Headquarters, Nárië 20

It was not easy for Pele to switch off her emotions after having opened up to such a deep level, so she was grateful that Arnyn had taken lead to guide them back to the specific action steps. She left the desk and went over to the window, glancing out of it in silence for a few moments to gather her thoughts, and then returned back to her previous place again.

"I think you have it right, Lieutenant," she said, a small smile touching her lips. "Shamara, Amber, and any crimes. The first and second seem clear enough, as for the third..."

Pele looked at the small gathered team considering whom she could assign to investigating possible crimes. She would not want to give Mourgan such a difficult task, Arnyn and Kaylin already had theirs. "Ilisys, think you could collect some information? I suppose you should look back all the way to winter, starting from the death of that messenger who brought be a note. Though I have doubts that Relic would leave behind any tangible clues except the ones stating 'I was here'. Karis, I might need your aid in any interrogations if we manage to find one or both of the culprits."

She looked around at the gathered people, thinking if there were any other considerations she might have missed.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr

Mourgan's agreement relieved a part of her that had been dying for affirmation. He had understood what she'd left unsaid, and even if he hadn't caught on to their shared anger, Kaylin had, and it felt so good to finally know she was not alone in that blazing roar of a feeling. When he said Let's do it her lips therefore almost formed a dark smile. But not quite; she managed to hold it back.

Kaylin was content to hear that Pele at least seemed to be coming back a bit from the idea that she was to blame for the things that had befallen Maldir, and Karis' words about blame looked to be helping a good deal also. But none of that served to distract her from her anger, especially when Pele explained Relic caught her when she was mourning and took advantage of that to inflict further emotional pain in addition to physical pain. Thus, the angry cauldron was fuelled rather than doused.

When Pele asked for plans, Kaylin glanced at Arnyn. She supposed Arnyn and she would make plans soon enough. Then she glanced at Mourgan. They would definitely make theirs.

Arnyn summed up the plans and orders so far, and Kaylin just stared at a spot on the wall. She was relieved once more when Pele asked for Karis to help with any interrogations. For one, Kaylin imagined she would have her hands full with Amber... and Arnyn. And then there were plans to be made with Mourgan. Moreover, while she had been trained in interrogation, she had learned that her character was not suited to the practice.

"Nothing to add, Captain," Kaylin said, wishing she had something more than the hilt of her sword to strangle.

[Arnyn]

Barracks, Room 3
@Rillewen


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen

She gestured permissively. "If you both wish to do the dishes, you may." Again, it was unusual. But since she had just made a point about teamwork, it seemed apt to allow the two roommates to actually act as a team, even if the task at hand consisted of dishes. Arnyn returned Mourgan's nod and waited for him to leave the room.

Her brown eyes then turned to Trastion. She sighed lightly as she noted his apprehension. "I realize it always takes time to acclimate to new circumstances," she began slowly. Her words were also rather quiet, so Trastion would have to listen attentively to catch them. "The Rangers are a strange structure, to be sure. On the one hand, we are less formal than those with military backgrounds may expect. On the other hand, there are still many things that must be adhered to."

She spoke up a bit more so Trastion would hear her more easily - although she was still speaking quietly enough. "Questioning the Barracks Master's orders behind closed doors with Mourgan for example would be one thing - but questioning them to an officer, and in the presence of other rangers no less, is a different matter, Trastion." She slanted her head and sighed again, clearly thinking about several possible situations and how she could explain it to him.

"Of course it is never black and white... For example, if I were to give you an order in the field and you thought you had an insight I was missing, I would want you to speak up so I could adjust my orders as necessary when lives are on the line. I know the Captain thinks the same, even if not all officers I have known were so open to input from the ranks. But this was different, yes? Not life or death. Just a situation in the barracks, where the Barracks Master comes upon this situation, makes his estimate and delivers his judgment... in his domain. And you question this, not only to his face but with Unalmis right there with you. That undermines Lieutenant Brian's authority, because it makes it plain you do not respect he has any in the first place. Moreover, you plainly announce this lack of respect to Unalmis by such behaviour, seemingly uncaring that you are doing so, further ridiculing the Barracks Master. This is why he took it so badly and said you need to learn to follow orders instead of questioning them."

Arnyn looked Trastion straight in the eyes, her explanatory tone now changing to one which did not allow any room for questions in response to what followed. "If you had done the same to me," she began, "I promise you would have been off worse. Consider yourself lucky that it was Lieutenant Brian and not me. And consider yourself lucky that when this happened you had only been assigned to me for sword training and that I was not yet your commanding officer."

"You also do not challenge an officer by saying he has wrongly blamed you, apologize for doing so after, and then at a later date reiterate you were wrongly blamed to that same officer and in the presence of another. Doing the latter negates your first apology and renders any following apologies for the matter entirely meaningless."

Arnyn's tone changed again as she continued as some understanding seeped into her words. "I gather you cannot mean any apology for a situation brought about by being unjustly blamed. Therefore I would suggest it would be better not to apologize at all." She took a few steps toward the recruit and held out her hand for his shirt, her face carrying a neutral expression. "You were at the wrong place at the wrong time, Trastion, so I advise that you simply accept that and move on. Take comfort from the fact you saw something few soldiers and rangers have gotten to see and which you can still enjoy for years to come." She offered no explanation for why she believed Trastion was wrongly blamed, nor what had prompted her to say Trastion had seen something that he would have enjoyed in some way.

When he had handed over the shirt, she turned to hold it by the shoulders and observe the damage. It looked quite bad. She wouldn't bother trying to get the stains out herself, she knew. "Turn around," she said, not explaining why.

[Ercassie]

Ehtyar Ilisys Azrubêl
Captain’s office, HQ – 20 Nárië

It had proven an enlightening congregation of opinions in the room. What with Kaylin’s frustration, Arnyn’s tenacity, Pele’s humility .. and the marked reserve of Mourgan and Karis by contrast. Very interesting. Ilisys had swiftly gleaned that most of the Male Ranger’s silence was due to shock. The Captain was his relative, at least their names and mannerisms here suggested. So to have learned such cruel dealings and the time frame for which they had been allowed to proceed, before he was ever made aware of them ? She could not fault the youngest here his stunned response. Karis, quite curiously though had not seemed to contribute much either, and the Ehtyar wondered why the Cúner had been invited to be a part of these proceedings beyond a vain hope of possibly restraining Kaylin, should the need arise. It was just as great a wonder that their new Lieutenant had not pressed Karis then, for what information she too might bring to the table. But might be that thought came from a jealous place of the Belfalasian’s displeasure at having been forced to speak more than she’d wished to herself.

Arnyn certainly had not held back from pressing at Pele though, far more resolutely, and for perhaps the first time since entering the room, the Ehtyar found herself properly at odds with the new officer’s technique. Honest, forthright, practical .. Arnyn’s way had been not always been the way that Isys would have done things, but she could appreciate the principles behind it. Until this last. And suddenly for all the professionalism that Dealedwen had demonstrated all the day so far, she gave way now to sentimentality. To emotion.


The former Swan Knight could not bear to watch as the Captain was shoved back into recounting her most intimate fears and thoughts, not only again, but to unearthing yet deeper recesses of privacy, in front of an awkward audience. Isys turned her attention not to her hair this time but to the door, as though she craved the escape it offered. There were thoughts there that she might better handle. Such as how thick was that door ? Soundproof ? Could they be certain the Guards outside had not already since been taken out by Relic/Amber herself, and the very ear of their foe now be pressed against the wood with great amusement ?

For the Captain's sake as much as her own, Isys could consider these possibilities far better than to look into the empathy showcase at hand. The former Swan Knight was accustomed to separating her feelings and her thoughts as entirely as she was able. It allowed for her, now, to refrain from any obvious reaction. Pele’s stammered confessions though, the physical contact that Arnyn performed moments later .. it was another level away from all that the Ehtyar had ever been used to or instructed in, and she could not make herself take any part in it, despite the Lieutenant’s evident encouragement. There was sharing and then there was sharing. And as far as Isys could tell, the potential from this latest technique was most rife for the Captain to both mentally and physically founder, and for the likes of Kaylin to become only further impassioned toward violence .. a threat which became all too real when Mourgan suddenly spoke up for perhaps the first time since the meeting had begun. His words were not many, but their intention spoke volumes.


It was only when Karis said her piece, that curiosity drew Isys from her self-imposed detachment, to show some intrigue in where the talk had turned. After so little proferred by the Cúner, there came .. finally, an admission, so very briefly touched upon that it might have been easily missed, or perhaps that was the intention. Her own ‘experience’ Karis referred to. A matter that had been ‘political rather than personal’ .. The Ehtyar often employed the tool of staring, as assault or deflection, but never had it come upon her so unconsciously. So Karis, a former Commander, had also been a fellow victim, like the Captain, of Umbarian captivity. Clearly then this very concise contributor was a massive resource and a more relevant party to the issue than had been made clear. Presumably everybody else was already aware of the fact of their all knowing each other far better. Perhaps Arnyn did have a point with this ‘sharing’ approach after all. Apart from it, the Ehtyar had not comprehended a good deal that was slowly starting to present itself.


Then as suddenly as it had come upon them, the spell apparent of such soulful solidarity was broken. Arnyn returned to form with a run-down of their objectives, and Pele turned away to collect herself and distribute further orders. Isys was granted her own missive amongst these, and she raised her chin as though out of some fog that had occluded her involvement of late. “Information is power,” she conceded, with equal relish as before, and with a nod toward the Captain, and then, with a slight tilt of her head, she uttered what had the sound of a return to her typical ‘nonsense’. “How strange, the bloodied saddle of a riderless horse in flight through a wooded cemetery of lost stars ..”

A smile, and a second nod, affirmed the Ehtyar’s compliance to begin looking at matters which had not been resolved yet, and might, if they were so, shed light on the dark souls they wished to thwart.

“Shall we be summoned, Captain,” she then spoke up, as though it had just now occurred to her, “for the training and emergency herbal assets to counter our Enemy’s poison, as per the Lieutenant’s advice ? Or is there some other certain means of everybody obtaining this advantage without ‘Amber’ being made aware of it ?” Arnyn’s thoughtful concerns from earlier, about Amber taking advantage of any sudden policies, had refused to lay down once they had been planted in the Ehtyar’s mind. And it seemed to Isys that there was just as much opportunity for the suspected recruit to adapt their careful defences to work for her rather than against her in her own very specialised field of poisons, as there was a danger of her manipulating a ‘buddy up’ to pose some threat to the unsuspecting.


Pele’s ask of Karis at the concluding however, took the Belfalasian back, rather uncomfortably, to Kaylin’s talk of ‘assignments’ and the Hyandaner’s insinuations that she could kill somebody outright, outside of a conflict situation or a court of law … and somehow not be held accountable ? It might have simply been the Redhead's fervour to suppose that her ruin would be ‘worth’ the expected legal consequences of course. But still the subject made the Belfalasian wonder quite what else she had to learn about the way things were done in the White City.

Her own network of ‘information extraction’ had expanded .. merely from the typical of nobility in her native fief. Where pursuivants and squires would gather the necessary intel before a noble chanced upon a road, or lodged in an unfamiliar establishment, or visited an unexplored town. Enquiries were made, discreetly as to the safety and other implications of alliances and associations with potential trade partners, or even advocations of marriage proposals. Reputation was of paramount concern where she came from, and being seen or even heard of in a place of fell repute was tantamount to literal scandal that might render her entire estate to the devastation of ostracism. Lond Col had come close to ruin after the Kinstrife of ages past; and it had taken a good deal of careful work from her ancestors, and those of Abrazimir to preserve the estuary's dignity and funds. Admittedly, the younger Lady had pushed the limits of her personal informants of late, and this latest exploration into Shamara’s whereabaouts had been a rather more personal and certainly more perilous project than she would ever have entrusted to the likes of Warder. Who would have outright refused on the grounds of morality, no doubt. Which was yet another reason why the man who had taken the errand, was the most befitting, and her only option at the time. Sometimes you had to court a little danger in order to conserve those who would (hopefully) never hear about the ‘details’.

Clearly, she had never expected to divulge as much information as she had on this occasion. But there, her reputation as one 'unpredictable' remained intact, for she doubted anybody here had expected for her to have been about quite so much they did not know about either. Whether it would prove advantageous at all or no though, remained to be seen.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr

As the matter at hand returned to poisoning and antidotes, Kaylin folded her arms with some recalcitrance. She did not want to be drawn back into conversation. She wanted to leave, talk to Mourgan, and then hit something, for lack of being able to hit someone. She needed to release some of her anger, and needed to do it fast, or she might not be able to hold it contained to her person for much longer. But the training she had received had given her some knowledge in these matters, and it would be counterproductive not to speak.

"Since they use nightshade, we need a specific type of southern bean, known as the Khyar bean*. The extract from the bean is most effective against nightshade poisoning and works more quickly, but ingesting the beans itself would also work. Using the beans would save us from having to carry something fragile around to hold the extract and beans can be hidden more easily than vials, so that would be my advice." Kaylin's blue-grey eyes flicked to Karis for a moment as she spoke some of what she had learned from the former Captain's spy master.

Then Kaylin looked at Isys before settling her gaze on Pele. "I don't see a way to bring everyone in the loop without Amber being made aware somehow. If anyone so much as refers to it, she can pick up on it. Even if we tell people not to spread the word, it is possible that someone might unwillingly give it away. The only option I see is that we here carry the antidote, and maybe tell a few more people at the most and have them carry it also. If we do this, we need to first press upon them the importance of not breathing a word of it to anyone and tell them we cannot offer more explanation than that there might be a criminal afoot whose preferred weapon is poison. For example, Pele and Mourgan should tell Nelladel as much and have her carry some as well. And I would tell Thûllir as much for example. Not the whole story. But just enough to have them realize what the beans are for and when they should use them. I am sure everyone here can think of a few people they would trust with this."

She tightened the fold of her arms, her eyes darkening as she looked at no one in particular. "I can get us a supply of the beans. Give me a day or two." Then she turned her attention to Arnyn and Pele. "Will that be all?" she asked, the strain obvious in her voice. "Are we dismissed?"

*The actual bean is the Calabar bean, named for a region in Africa. I took the liberty to assuming such a bean would be native to Harad and picked a name for it more suitable to ME. Poke me if anyone feels it should still be changed.*

[Pele Alarion]

Captain Pele Alarion
Headquarters, Nárië 20

"Mhm," Pele responded to Isys' statement on information, and for a few moments considered the matter of the riderless horse though she did not comment on it. Even though the Ehtyar seemed mysterious and even strange at times, and her means of obtaining information were not probably hundred per cent legal at all times, Pele trusted her to get the job done. And yes, there was the thing about poisoning, but before the Captain could say anything, Kaylin spoke up and offered a very viable solution.

"I would rather that Amber is as unaware as possible of what we have planned," she eventually said. "At least until it can be proved that she is harmless. And you are right, some people close to us might need to be informed as much as is required for the situation and provided with means of protection."

"It would be perfect if you could arrange for that supply of beans, Kaylin," Pele addressed the matter of antidotes. "There is a small amount of extract at the Houses of Healing but it is so small that I would not want to take it away. Though I could make more if ingredients were available, yet making the extract takes time, and simply carrying beans is more time-efficient and easy indeed. This is settled then. Let me know when you have the beans available."

It appeared that most major points of the subject had been discussed, and it was clear to Pele that Kaylin was barely holding herself together. "Plan of action is clear, so yes. Dismissed. Feel free to leave whenever you wish," she said, providing enough options for Rangers to either leave or remain and speak of anything else should they desire so. Pele remained seated on the edge of her desk and watched the others calmly, while the tension in her shoulders seemed to lessen as if calling an official end to the meeting had meant getting rid of a heavy burden.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr

Pele's words finally gave her permission to leave this place and go vent somewhere. Gritting her teeth to help keep her anger in check now there was not much left to say (at least to her mind), Kaylin could no longer say anything in return. So, she gave the Captain a curt nod and a quick salute, followed by the same for the new Lieutenant.

Her stormy gaze met Mourgan's for a brief moment even as she turned to the door of Pele's office. "Outside," she mumbled quietly as she passed by the man on her way out, leaving no mistake about what she wanted. Her anger was rushing her along now and she had no time or energy to spare to speak to Karis on her way out - even though she wanted to - and it was better for everyone that she did not say anything to Isys.

She pulled at the door too forcefully and it thudded loudly against the wall of the office. The Hyandaner emerged from the office with her left hand still wrapped around her sword hilt like she was about to squeeze it right off. Her grey-blue eyes spit cold fire but her blood burned hot in her veins, spurring her on to go somewhere, to do something, to fight someone -- every movement of her body was too energetic and at the same time too restrained, as she was at a total loss what to do with herself. The necessity to stay calm enough to finish that meeting had taken a toll, and had not improved her state of being.

Kaylin breathed in through clenched teeth as she strode through the main room of headquarters, only catching Thûllir's presence in her peripheral vision right before the corners of her eyes could no longer see him. But given that she did not know what she might wreck if she stayed inside, she figured outside was better. Besides, that is where she'd said she would wait for Mourgan.
Another door slammed open, and then she was pacing left to right in front of the building, running a hand through her red hair and trying to get a grip on her feelings.

[Ercassie]

Ehtyar Ilisys Azrubêl
Captain’s office, HQ – 20 Nárië

The Ehtyar was aware that the meeting had been tapering off toward it’s natural conclusion, when she had thrown up the question of the antidote. But it had been such a worthy idea in theory, that it seemed folly to not clarify how it might be implemented into practice. She had expected Arnyn, whose idea it had been, to satisfy her curiosity, or maybe Pele, their resident Master Healer, who was likely the most experienced where dealing with herbal antidotes. So she was surprised when it was the Hyandaner who spoke up, and though the matter of the Khyar beans did appear to answer her enquiry, the fact of Kaylin being confident enough to speak of it, over the two officers, and the way she put her eyes toward Karis when doing so, .. undoubtedly raised more questions than answers.


“That was my concern,” she had allowed, as Kaylin seemed to agree with the matter of keeping Amber out of the know. But the seemingly courteous sentiment did not even begin to touch upon the questions which her mind was now concerning over. Particularly the ease with which the Redhead disclosed that she ‘could get a supply of the beans’ in just ‘a day or two’. Again, the Belfalasian might have expected that Pele, in her healing capacity would be the one with more immediate access. And yet Kaylin had took it upon her self. So unless it was a ruse by which to plea Kaylin’s immediate release from their company, which Isys could have believed, it seemed otherwise unusual.

How or why the tempestuous Redhead could imagine any moral high ground where it came to judging Isys’s clandestine activities she could not comprehend, when it was becoming ever more evident that she blatantly had her own in mind ? And the notion of so openly commending murder ? That would always be a step too far for the noblewoman to consider of her own part. Still, the Ehtyar held her peace and only watched Kaylin with a curious tilt of the head as Pele then supported her, with no surprise apparent from the Captain. But if this supply were not then coming from the Houses of Healing, what sort of resources were being employed here ? Isys’s late father had made many voyages by sea to Harad back in his day, and in large part to ‘harvest’ certain ‘exports’ which could not be grown in the less tropical climes of Gondor. It was without question how he had run into rivalry with the Corsair Salukhatar Halsad, who had taken umbrage at the affluent Swan Knight’s efforts to plunder the South East coast, by taking full advantage of the devastation done to Umbar’s armada in the Great Siege of 2980. Her reckless but beloved father had paid for his bravado with his life in the end, so his daughter was well aware that obtaining the goods of Harad was likely not some simple affair. Was such a store of this antidote as they might require really likely to be found in even the city apothecary ? Somehow it seemed as though ‘exploring’ the vial that had been took of Shamara had not been the first time that such measures had been considered. By some.


Dismissed, their Captain bid them, and so the Belfalasian allowed the matter to pass without comment. But she watched Kaylin’s almost immediate departure, calling Mourgan to meet with her .. and felt it best to award both a moment so that she would not chance upon whatever they were intending outside. Without more information she did not feel comfortable confronting the evident undertow of emotion. And given the subject of the thing, she was not entirely sure that she wanted to pursue it anyway.

As was custom, Isys ducked into her usual perfect curtsey in favour of the more local custom of a fist to heart. She had been handed an objective to be about, and that would keep her occupied enough while her ‘associate’ looked to his own side of the bargain. “Captain, Lieutenant,” she awarded each of the officers due acknowledgement, ducking her chin respectfully before the Ehtyar then remarked. “Your office door looks sound. No sign of bump or snap about the lock.” They had no doubt long since forgotten the attention she had paid to the portal upon entry. She smiled though, then took her gaze more determinedly and thoughtfully to Pele. Dearly did she wish that the Captain had taken Warder up on his advice, about the 'correspondence’, but there, just as dearly did she wish that none of this had come to pass. And if wishes were birds, the skies would fall down, as they said. Maybe she had said ? She could not remember. With a shrug, the Belfalasian made steps toward her own departure.


Removing herself of the meeting, Isys did not look to find Kaylin or any other who might have excused themselves as well by that point. She did not shirk away or by any means hold herself in shame for what had been revealed of her actions. At the time of the Cruise, Arnyn had not been Lieutenant. Pele had not even been Captain, officially. There had seemed no one to seek approval from, and she had personally been acting of her own accord with her Southern countrymen to retrieve folk from Umbar for years before that point, so she had not been aware that there was a need to involve or thus endanger anybody more than the bare minimum required. They had lost so many and never accomplished enough. But how could she have done naught, when Shamara, appallingly had been the one who had sought out Isys on the cruise ? Deliberately engaged conversation with someone who'd met her, just after she had escaped ?! The Umbarian must have thought her disguise far more beguiling than it had proven or, worse, deliberately sought to flaunt her new found freedom ...And yet the Ehtyar had no more want to see the silly young thing killed, than she wanted her own Umbarian associate dead. They were the symptoms, not the disease of Umbar. And yet by now the Belfalasian realised that she was defending her own actions to herself. And being thus both defendant and jury, deemed the matter a moot point.

So she calmly headed back toward her room which, unless she was mistaken, was the only other one occupied in the North Wing besides the one assigned to Amber. She had to make ready for training with Unalmis first of all things. That would give her time to consider better where to start thereafter with what yet required handling.

[Karis Ziranphel]

Cúner Ranger Karis Ziranphel
Headquarters, Nárië 20

Ziran’s words seemed to have their intended effect, although only time would tell, when Pele vehemently denied that she would blame her in any way and admitted that she, herself, needed to no longer carry guilt. Ziran nodded and returned her grip firmly until the Captain chose to release her hand, listening quietly to the heart-rending explanation that Pele gave.

When Arnyn spoke up to summarize their knowledge and give assignments, the archer stepped back to her former position to listen and better see the reactions of the others in the small group. She watched Pele move to the window, and listened carefully when she eventually spoke. The additions made sense, and she nodded affirmation when Pele mentioned that she might need her help. Interrogation had never been a pleasant duty, but it was a necessary one that she did have some experience with. “I am at your service, Captain.” She hadn’t been oblivious to the look that Ilisys had thrown her way, but let it be.

The topic returned to that of poison and antidote then, and she listened closely to the questions and commentary. The bean Kaylin mentioned did prompt her memory, but only a blink acknowledged Kaylin’s look. Aye, she knew some of the resources that Loki had helped them network, but only those fully trained as Kaylin fully knew how to obtain them. It was a good idea.

She looked after Kaylin a moment after Pele’s agreement to Kaylin’s request and their dismissal resulted in her abrupt departure. Thûllir was better equipped to help than she was at this point. The Ehtyar left shortly after, and Ziran felt some hesitation about also leaving right away. Pele would have known of the Tirdinen previously, whether or not she remembered, but Arnyn likely was unaware as of yet.


Ranger Thûllir Bregedyr

Although he may have been trained to observe and listen, Thûllir wasn’t about to listen in to the meeting behind closed doors. Instead, he chose to remain at the window, observing the goings on outside. He also knew well how to wait, and stood leaning against the wall with one boot propped up beneath him and his hands casually crossed where they rested on his thigh. A briefly raised voice was his only warning that something was not sitting well with his wife. He glanced at the door once, but returned his gaze to the courtyard until he heard the latch turn.

The sudden bang of the door had him straightening, and he wasn’t too surprised when it was his wife who came storming out. The restrained energy and emotion in her body language had him just watching as she crossed the main room with precise strides, and he could almost see the firestorm that was about to break. He paused for a heartbeat or two, and then followed her by pushing off the wall as the outer door slammed in turn. He was at the same door in a few long fast steps, and caught it on the rebound. Stepping through, he closed it quietly behind him and moved to the side as he saw her pacing. He had seen her this agitated before, but despite her temper it wasn’t all that often. Without interrupting her with a touch that might startle, he moved closer quietly and then spoke softly. “Anything you are allowed to share, Kaylin, or do you just need to hit things?”

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - beginning of the month long room inspections
Barracks; Room 3

Listening to Arnyn, Trastion had to keep very still to hear her words at first. He gave a small nod. It was a little hard, adjusting to such a different way of life, and all the rules. He had never been all that great at following rules. And unfortunately, he seemed to have a way of clashing with certain people, usually people in authority who felt it made them important. He may look just like his father, but there were certain characteristics of his mother in him, too, which unfortunately, meant that the two of them tended to clash far too often.

He remained focused on what Arnyn was saying to him, glad that she had spoken up slightly, as she pointed out some of the things he had done wrong. He wanted to speak up, once or twice, with his own input, but had a feeling that he should remain silent, instead. It likely wouldn't make any difference, to hear that his apology had not actually had anything to do with saying he'd been wrongly blamed; he never took that back. The apology had only been for talking back... and also, well, to draw the man's attention back from Nal and Eryn. He wondered why there had been no mention of the young lady at the scene, and then decided that Brian probably decided to omit that factor, as it might make him look even worse, for letting yet another thing get past him.

There were a couple of other details Trastion might have liked to straighten, like that technically he hadn't been assigned to anyone yet at that time... and that he'd technically not even been fully aware of just who Brian was at the time... but he didn't really have a chance to speak, not without interrupting Arnyn, which would have been unwise, he deemed. So he kept silent and gave a small nod here and there. Then came her comment about seeing something very few others had a chance to see, which puzzled him. He thought carefully back about what had happened just moments ago, in the room inspection, and could find nothing that would bring any comfort at all. The only thing he could possibly think of... but there was no way Arnyn could know about that, was there? Or, was there? Eyes slightly widened, he looked at the lieutenant in wonder as he handed over the crumpled shirt in his hand. How could she possibly... had she been hiding somewhere nearby?

Her last order, instructing him to turn around, snapped him out of his state of awe that she had somehow witnessed that entire scene some days ago. Puzzled, Trastion turned, slowly. What did she mean to do now? Turning his head, he tried to look over his shoulder, but could see nothing from his angle. "More ink?" He guessed with a sigh, dreading the worst.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr
Just outside of HQ

"Anything you are allowed to share, Kaylin, or do you just need to hit things?"

The first part of the question took a moment to process and she would probably only really figure out the answer once she was calmer, but the second part was easy enough. "Hit things," she said in a low voice, trying not to growl at her husband who was being his wonderfully understanding self. Hit, punch, kick, pummel, wreck, smash - ANYTHING.

"But I need to speak with Mourgan first." Not that there would be much to say. She just wanted to be clear on one thing. Had they understood one another correctly in there? Then they could make an agreement, the two of them. Perhaps it was not necessary to make that agreement right here and now, not logically - but it might help her to get her feelings under control just a bit. Or that was the hope. She needed someone who was fully in the know to understand but also to agree on this. While the strain in her voice had been evident to Pele, it would speak volumes to Thûllir. "He's the only one who might see eye to eye with me on this." She couldn't say much more at present, not before figuring out what she might be able to say and what should remain off limits. Kaylin felt safe to refer to what she did not say without divulging anything, however. Thûllir would not press matters, she knew. If she could not share, she could not share - he would accept that.

She let out a grunt of frustration as she paced. "I really hope he comes out here sooner rather than later." Her free hand was balled into a fist. "I really need to get out of here and just..." Kaylin raised that fist slightly but wasn't sure exactly how to finish her sentence.


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Captain's Office

She'd listened and not spoken after asking her questions. Her more recent questions were answered, as well as the still open suggestion about carrying some sort of antidote, thanks to the renewed attention to the subject. Listening attentively, she was left wondering about some other things. There was no chance to ask in front of the whole group, however, since Kaylin seemed to be reaching the end of her control and clearly wanted to leave as soon as possible.
Deeming it wiser to let her go than to keep her, Arnyn did not interject. She merely returned the redhead's nod and salute, and watched her go. She didn't catch what Kaylin mumbled to Mourgan, but if Arnyn were to guess it probably wasn't something she would wholeheartedly condone. She held back a sigh.
She returned Isys' nod a moment later, and one corner of her mouth curled ever so slightly upward at the Ehtyar's remark about Pele's door and lock.

That left Pele, Karis and Mourgan with her in the Captain's office. Arnyn raised an eyebrow at Karis, rather than Pele. Based on what she knew of Kaylin for one, and Kaylin's glances at Karis at certain moments during her words, the new Lieutenant had drawn certain conclusions. "What exactly am I missing about Kaylin's background?" She assumed it wouldn't be so delicate that it could not be discussed in the presence of those Pele had called into her office.

[Isolde Alarion]

Headquarters, Nárië 20
Ranger Mourgan Alarion

The plan was in place and orders were given as to who would play what part in all this. He'd never heard of these beans but left it to those in the know about them. He really just wanted to find this Amber.

Once dismissed he didn't leave immediately as he watched Kaylin and their eyes met, he noted the storms rolling in hers before one word was mumbled his way. A duck of the chin was his answer and he watched her leave nearly unhinging the door. He returned his own dark gaze toward his Captain and Lieutenant. With a quick salute he followed in leaving the room.

Once out the door he let out the restrained breath he'd been holding. He needed to do something or surely he would explode. He gripped the helm in his hand so hard he could feel the metal bend. Not only had he not been told any of this before hand but now he noted he'd been given nothing to help in it's resolve. He neared a stone pillar and with a deep growl he swung his helm at the pillar. THUNK!! The sound of the helm hitting the pillar reverberated in the room. Was he just to go back to his room and wait? THUNK!! The helm hit the pillar again! For what?! They expected him to do nothing with all he'd heard in there? CLANG!! With every hit of the pillar his anger built and by the third hit there was nothing left of the helm but a crushed and dented remnant of it's former self. No, he would do something and he knew just the person to help him do it.

Once more the door slammed open, Mourgan came through it with his fist clenched and his eyes narrowed. Nostrils wide and in one clenched fist hung the remains of his helm. The Smithy would not be repairing this one. He let it fall from his fingertips and it clattered on the stone floor as he saw Kaylin and headed to where she paced, her own anger palatable. He stalked toward her like an angry bear.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself to talk he approached Kaylin and noted Thullirs presence with a nod before returning his focus to Kaylin. "I can not wait and do nothing , I don't think you can either." He assumed that was what this meeting was about.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr
Just outside of HQ

They heard the muted clang of the helm hitting the stone pillar. Once, twice, three times. An expectant set of blue-grey eyes fixed upon the door in response. That could only be one person... right? Even though she generally wished such anger upon no one, now she almost anxiously hoped it was Mourgan. She needed another to share in this.

The door opened too fast, and the look on Mourgan's face said that he was blazing with rage - just like her. And the wrecked helm that fell to the stone pavement said that he had indeed been the one to make that racket. Everything in the way Mourgan moved yelled out his anger. She waited for his approach, recognizing he needed to move - just like her - in order to get some of the angry energy out of his system. The way he he spoke was also all too familiar. Forced, strained - what they themselves would refer to as calm but what anyone else would refer to as dangerously close to the edge.

"Not a chance." Kaylin roughly gripped Mourgan's shoulder, her movements still restrained. "Your aunt's safety takes precedence over whatever bigger picture they are thinking of." Her words were low as she spoke to him. While Thûllir might pick up a few words regardless, given his proximity, she did not have the presence of mind to move further away, nor would she have wanted to wave him off if she had. She watched her words somewhat as not to give anything away as far as names went, but that was all she could do in that moment. "The wheel will keep turning with or without that witch. And I heard no specific order to catch her alive." Shamara, yes. But not Relic.

"If we find her, she dies. No talk, no cell - no chance at escape." She squeezed Mourgan's shoulder, hard. "If you find her, if I find her, if we find her together - she dies. On the spot. Agreed?" She was willing to face the consequences of that, and was pretty sure he would be willing to do the same. "And whatever I find out with our new Lieutenant," - she did not mention about whom, but Mourgan would surely realize she was talking about Amber - "I will share with you." Kaylin wasn't about to wait until the Captain or Lieutenant decided to share it with Mourgan . She felt like the man had a right to know, and he had been robbed of that right so far. Also, she didn't know how Arnyn would go about the whole Amber business, but somehow Kaylin thought she might be very careful. Too careful. And therefore, much too slow.

"Mourgan. The Captain told us to keep our eyes open. Let's take that liberally, yeah?" Her eyes blazed as she looked into his. "Conduct our own little investigation. She's living in the barracks now. So are you. Try and get close to her. But not alone, in case she is more than she pretends to be. Involve me, so I can watch you. And don't start until I can get those beans. If things go south and she tries to poison you, I want you to have a fix. And I want to be close to administer that fix if necessary." The words were leaving her mouth like a waterfall, since it was currently the only way she had to vent. "If you have any other ideas, now is the time."

[Arnyn]

Barracks, Room 3
@Rillewen


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen

She couldn't deny she felt some satisfaction at the wonder in Trastion's eyes after her oblique reference to Lieutenant Brian falling face down in the dirt with a dog on his back. It was difficult to keep her expression composed at the memory of the barracks master suffering such a fate, but she'd mastered that during her previous years of leadership and managed somehow.

It was harder not to laugh as the puzzlement showed on Trastion's face after she told him to turn around. He did so, slowly, without first demanding to know why or questioning her, which told her that her words of reproach hadn't caused him to think less of her. That was good to know.

His attempt to look at his back over his shoulder, the guess of "More ink?" combined with that sigh - which sounded so incredibly youthful to her -, finally made her lose the battle.
"I am afraid so," she laughed, looking at the stain on his back and gestured at it with one hand. "Sorry to break the news to you... You have two stained shirts, not one." She waved the shirt she was holding. "Am I going to have to take you shopping, recruit?" A large grin had found its way to her face at the jest. "I'm sure Mourgan can tell you a few places where you'll find suitable shirts for a good price." Sobering a little, she gestured for him to face her again, and held out his shirt back to him. "Here. I don't think you'll be able to save this one, unless you let it steep in a tub of alcohol overnight or something. And I don't think anyone in your wing will be in favor of using so much of the stuff to clean a shirt."

Her expression settled back into more serious lines as she looked at her recruit. "So then. You understand my points? Or do you need further clarification? If so, now is the time."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - beginning of the month long room inspections
Barracks; Room 3

He let out a quiet groan to hear that his worst fears were confirmed. "Great." He accepted the shirt back from Arnyn, and sighed, checking that the ink was dry before tossing it onto the bed. "At least it was my own shirt, not a pillowcase or blanket or something." He mentioned, trying to find at least some sort of 'bright side'. Her question about taking him shopping brought a little laugh from him. "You may have to." It was a relief to hear a bit of teasing, despite her rank. It was easier to click with a person who had a sense of humor, after all. "At this rate I'll have nothing to wear except the uniform." He added, then paused, thinking about how he'd gotten so muddy, the first day. Actually... yeah, he needed to get some new clothes. The mud-covered set of clothing was still in that state, stuffed in the corner of the chest where he had sort of forgotten all about them.

Letting that slip off to the back of his mind again, Trastion laughed at the thought of steeping the shirts in a tub of alcohol overnight. "Forget how they'd mind that... can you imagine if Lieutenant Brian walked in and saw something like that?" He grinned, amused at the idea, but shook his head. "No, I'll see if I can find some other use for these. And I'll ask Mourgan if he knows anywhere to buy clothes," He added, preferring to ask his roommate, rather than his trainer... it might be a bit embarrassing to have her take him shopping for clothes, as if she were his mother or something. "Thank you, Hyandaner." He added, with a little more seriousness. His respect for this lieutenant had grown quite a bit in the last few moments. Not only did she cover for him, she had hinted at knowing about things he thought no one else knew of, yet didn't report it.. and then acted more like a friend than a scowling superior who wanted to enforce their authority... she was earning his trust along with respect, he realized, and wasn't sure what to think about that.

Fortunately he had something to distract him from having to think about it. He considered the question. "Yes, I understand your points, Lieutenant." He answered, with slight uncertainty how to address her. Which reminded him of a question that he'd like to have an answer to. "Only..." He hesitated. "I would like to ask about something, if I may? It isn't to do with any of that. I'm just.. curious. I heard Mourgan call you sir. But... you're a lady, so... shouldn't it be ma'am?" He looked confused. "I've never heard of anyone calling a lady 'sir', but then I never really known of any ladies to hold a rank in a military force... Is it because you're a lieutenant? Should I say sir, instead of ma'am? Does it matter, or... what?"

[Arnyn]

Barracks, Room 3
@Rillewen


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen

"Well, at least you'll be well dressed in the unform," she threw back with some amusement. At his comment about Lieutenant Brian finding a tub of alcohol, Arnyn stifled a laugh. "He would not believe for a second that a tub of alcohol was to serve as a cleanser," she said, then caught herself. "Not many would believe such a claim, I imagine, if they had not been involved in the idea from its conception." She nodded when Trastion said he would ask Mourgan and then thanked her. "You're welcome," she replied genuinely.

Arnyn nodded again, her typical faint smile on her lips as she was pleased that he understood, and then paused at his obvious hesitation. She gestured to indicate that, yes, of course, he could ask a question. She listened to his question in full, which was very long indeed, and as she did so a slow smile grew on her face. When he finished, she laughed quietly. "I completely understand the question, Trastion, and it is a good one. Yet at the same time it is a difficult one to answer, because I do not know the why of it at all." She had no qualms in admitting not knowing something, and shrugged lightly. "What I can tell you is that 'sir', 'ma'am' and 'Lieutenant' are all terms I find acceptable. It does not matter to me. Although I will admit..." She leaned in slightly, speaking confidentially. "'Ma'am' can - on occasion - make me feel older than I am."

Her dark eyes scanned the room then, and she decided it was about time she left. She had said nearly all she had wanted and needed to. Arnyn smiled at the Recruit and then walked toward the door. With one hand on the doorknob, she turned back to him, remembering there was one more thing she needed to communicate. "Oh, and Trastion, speaking of what to call officers... If I ever hear of you addressing Lieutenant Brian as 'Either Lieutenant or Sir' again, you will answer to me for it. And you will no longer be under my instruction. No recruit of mine will speak to an officer with such blatant mockery of what I am sure were his own words to you at some point." She patiently waited for him to acknowledge her words and show that he had heard her and understood, and while her tone was serious, her expression was not angry or displeased - instead, it was rather neutral, perhaps even friendly.

[Isolde Alarion]

Headquarters, Nárië 20
Ranger Mourgan Alarion
w Kaylin
@Arnyn

The muted tone and the roughly gripped shoulder had Mourgans focus keenly on Kaylin and her words. He agreed, his Aunts safety and the safety of the others came first.
Kaylin spoke of killing the witch and this brought a gleam to his dark eyes. There would be no quarter given by himself or her. "Agreed." It came out as a low growl but he was committed to it. The consequences of his actions he would face another time but here and now it was the price he was willing to pay.

It pleased him to know she would share whatever she would find out on the this woman Amber. "I'll see what I can find on her. You'll know when I know. " He referred to anything he might observe. He would start asking around, discretely of course till she returned with those beans. " then we'll see exactly who this Amber is." It wasn't a threat, it was a promise.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr
Just outside of HQ

She nodded at his growl of agreement. Good. They understood one another, indeed. At least their corner had two people in it, now. The image of two recruits in a little row boat, off to Cair Andros, flashed through her head. That had been years ago, now, but that is where they had first spoken.
At Mourgan's promise, she gave him a long, appraising look and then removed her hand from his shoulder to hold it out to him. For a warrior's clasp. For an agreement made. "Yes. We will."

The agreement made her feel marginally better, but it was not nearly enough to vent her anger. "Now if you'll excuse me," Kaylin spoke lowly as she tried to be nice, which was difficult at the moment even to someone who shared her opinions, "I need to go bang up my own figurative helmet to get that meeting out of my system." It was a good thing they were already outside, because holding her anger back like she still was, was not... improving her judgment. If there had been a chair nearby then and there, she surely would have smashed it against the first stone wall she could find - or even the pavement beneath her feet. Yet there was nothing of the sort within her line of sight, and she still had sense enough not to re-enter HQ to find something suitable to smash in there.

Balling her fists, she turned to look for something, anything - and found herself facing the exceedingly calm expression of her husband. Something in his eyes made her refrain from pushing past him or turning away to simply stride off somewhere. Thûllir had an idea. She could tell. "Suggestion?" she asked, the word slipping between her gritted teeth.

[Karis Ziranphel]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Ranger Thûllir Bregedyr
Immediately outside HQ

“Hmm” Thûllir murmured in reply as he heard the strain in her voice and saw the suppressed violence in every line of her face and body. She had said only Mourgan was likely to see eye to eye with her on whatever this was that caused her anger, which implied that she didn’t think he would. He watched her carefully as she raised her fist in frustration, and then nodded, even as he heard the approach of someone else also expressing extreme frustration. He sighed internally even though he appreciated the sight of her in a temper. There was an edge to it, and he wasn’t sure if the “talk” with her battle brother would help that or make it worse. He needed to think of a means of outlet that would help her blow off some of that raging energy.

He shifted to face the approach of Mourgan, who was now taller and broader than he, and sporting a face full of thunder. An eyebrow twitched in muted amusement at the sight of the smashed helmet, but Thûllir’s gaze was otherwise cooly assessing when he returned Mourgan’s nod of acknowledgement. They didn’t move further away from him when they spoke, and his brow furrowed just the slightest bit at the content. It was both confusing and concerning, but he had wiped all trace of his concern from his face by the time they said their farewells in pledge of violence and investigation.

When Kaylin turned to him with her fists balled and asked for suggestions for how to get the angry energy out of her system, Thûllir calmly nodded with a thoughtful air. “I had initially thought to offer to spar with you, but perhaps something else first to get the rage down or I might end up rather bruised.” No amusement showed at that thought, for indeed she always had the edge on him in skill with the sword or unarmed combat, and his only advantages were dexterity and strength. “I’d suggest a round with the punching bag at home, and we have firewood to split for the stove if you want to swing a blade. After that…we can see how it goes and if you need to talk.” He tilted his head toward the street that led to their home. It would be better for her to deal with her anger in private, and home was Men Thalad Cirbann was much closer than the training grounds and the dummies there.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - beginning of the month long room inspections
Barracks; Room 3

"Well, at least you'll be well dressed in the unform."

Trastion laughed at that. "Yeah, but after a day or so of training I'll have to figure out some way of getting it clean, don't you think?" he mentioned. "I'd suggest I might ask to borrow some clothes from Unalmis, but I think he's lost all the clothes he had.. so he may be in need of a shopping trip as well." He added with a sigh. It still seemed far too harsh of the barrack's master to confiscate all of Unalmis' belongings. Except those Trastion had managed to pocket, but those were smaller items, not clothing. And quite possibly not all Unalmis', considering that the dog had stolen things from Trastion earlier that same day. He figured Mourgan's shirts would be too big for Trastion, and he'd probably look ridiculous if he borrowed anything from him. So he would just have to buy some new things. But then there was the problem of pay, of which he had none yet. So, that could pose a problem, but maybe these things would sort themselves out. Somehow.

Her answer about what to call him was both a little surprising, and intriguing at the same time. He considered the thought that 'ma'am' made her feel older, which seemed odd to him, but he didn't dispute it. Not being female, he found it hard to understand them sometimes. While he was thinking about that, the lieutenant brought up something else, concerning what he had called the other lieutenant. Trastion sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor. He'd found it highly amusing, calling the man that, but hearing the heavy consequences that would result if he kept it up... he nodded, inwardly grumbling at the fact he could no longer call Lieutenant Bryan what he had intended to call him, forever. "Yes, Lieutenant." He answered quietly.

[Arnyn]

Headquarters, Nárië 20


Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr
Just outside of HQ

She gave Thûllir a longer look than necessary during and after he was done speaking. Kaylin was processing his words as well as trying to discern whether his suggestions would be enough. The last time she'd been this furious, she'd been able to go and look for the culprit and physically take it out on the man responsible. And even so, she had almost crossed a line, saved - so to speak - just in time by the appearance of the City Guard. She immediately discarded the idea Thûllir had already thought better of - sparring with him. Would a punching bag be enough? No, she did not think so. Perhaps as a first outlet, however, yes. Swinging an axe to split wood? Hmm. It was worth finding out.

Her teeth were still clenched together as she spoke. "Fine." Her tone was harsher than she would have wanted, since he was clearly trying to help, but she could not control it. Upset with her own reaction, she turned to head for the street that led to Men Thalad Cirbann. After a few strides and without slowing down, she checked to see whether he was coming with her. He would, she knew. But she needed to see.

[Arnyn]

Barracks, Room 3
@Rillewen


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen

Arnyn nodded at Trastion's confirmation. "Good. Because I would like to keep you on."

She opened the door to the hallway and turned toward the inside of the room as she stood in the doorway. "Trastion," she said pensively, "You do realize you can have your clothes washed?" Her brown eyes appraised him with a blink or two. "We use a laundry service - you can simply deliver your clothes and they will wash them for you and return them. You can use it if you wish. Mourgan can tell you how." The Lieutenant looked borderline amused as she gave a wave and closed the door.

There were still some guys lingering in their own doorways in the hall, checking to see when Brian would get to their door perhaps, or maybe to catch the Barracks Master scolding another ranger for breaking one of his many, many rules. Arnyn sighed in preparation of another interaction with her all-time least favorite officer. Yet she needed to acquire a key - and Brian was the only one who could supply it to her.

Moments later, she seemed to be escorting the Barracks Master from the South Wing, as she walked behind Lieutenant Brian down the hallway. Some of the Rangers shot her a grin as she passed, which she met with a raised eyebrow or a shake of her head. She hadn't come to save anyone, is what she would tell anyone who'd have the nerve to ask, later. She'd only come for her key...

[Pele Alarion]

Captain Pele Alarion
Headquarters, Nárië 20

As soon as she had dismissed them, Kaylin had headed off furiously, before Pele even managed to raise her hand for a salute. She could not help but wince at the sound of each door being violently thrown open, and all she could do was hope that the fiery Hyandaner would find some reasonable outlet for all that anger.

"I hope that door will remain in that condition for a while..." Pele mumbled, mostly to herself in response to Ilisys' comment, and returned her gaze with one rather hopeful of her own along with the nod, though hopefulness was founded on other reasons than the wholeness of the door.

She could have foreseen Mourgan's anger, and yet the heat of it stunned Pele when she heard him demolishing his helm in the main hall. This, combined with Kaylin's anger, might spell major trouble, and Pele was not happy with that fact.

With a deep sigh, she went around the table and slid onto her chair, leaning elbows on the desk and hiding her face in her hands for a few moments. She was not sure she liked the outcome of the meeting. Yes, she was no longer alone with the burden, but then again many other things had surfaced, and it seemed that there were still some unknown matters. Besides, she wondered if their small team would be able to pull together seeing all the various reactions.

"Kaylin has had some extra training," she said in response to Arnyn's asking. "I don't know that much of it, but have an idea or two of what it included. Tirdinen, right, Karis?" she looked up at the two remaining people, supporting her chin in her right hand, as the left now rested on the desk.

[Rillewen]

@Isolde Alarion

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - beginning of the month long room inspections
Barracks; Room 3

Trastion smiled, pleased to hear that she would like to keep him on as her recruit. That was definitely nice to hear. He'd begun worrying she would have decided he was too much trouble or something. Then her parting words caused him to blink as he took in what she was saying. Laundry service... well that would certainly make things a lot easier. He gave a small nod in reply. "Thank you Lieutenant," He replied, wondering if anyone else (like Lt Brian) had mentioned sending laundry anywhere, but if he had, Trastion had obviously tuned that out. He definitely didn't remember anyone saying anything about such a service. But there was no reason to admit as much right now, so he decided to keep quiet, though he made a mental note to not forget that, and watched the lieutenant leave.

Sitting on his bed, Trastion sighed before pulling his letter carefully out of his shirt, and opened it. Yep, most of the writing was smeared, since he hadn't had time to let it dry. He'd have to rewrite that, but at least he could make out enough to remember what he'd written. Pulling off the ink-stained shirt next, he looked at the splotch. Yep, ruined. He tossed it over there with the other one and sighed again. After pulling his uniform shirt on -the only clean one he had left- Trastion lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, holding the folded letter. For the moment he didn't trust himself to try using ink again right now, but hopefully Mourgan would return soon and even more hopefully, the ink would come out once he had applied some alcohol to the spot. Without knowing where to get any alcohol, though, Trastion couldn't do anything about the stain on the floor.

[Karis Ziranphel]

Cúner Ranger Karis Ziranphel
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain's Office

Ziran paused at Arnyn’s question, and then nodded at Pele’s response. They had a need to know the history with Kaylin, and should know the history of the name Tirdinen so that there was no confusion. “Tirdinen, yes.” She replied slowly. “But not as it stands now.” She sighed quietly at the memories and looked over at Arnyn. “You will remember the Muin from before. I formed the Tirdinen years ago as something like, but unlike, the grey company. They were not primarily assassins, but rather received training to both catch spies and do their own covert work as a direct response to threats. Master Lôkhi Agan was the trainer and organizer. One who had himself been stolen as a young man and turned into a master assassin. He had been sent to infiltrate the city and kill me if possible, but unlike many we have encountered, he had a strange code of honor. When I offered him hospitality he, by his own code, would not kill me, and later given a chance at redemption by training our own, he took it and forswore his prior allegiances. Lord Denethor entrusted me with the organizing of the Tirdinen, our silent guardians, until their dissolution before the war. There were only a few of our soldiers and rangers who undertook the training fully, although Master Lôkhi did create a further network for them to utilize for information and disguise. They learned many and varied techniques. Kaylin and Thûllir were the first.”

Sighing again, Ziran ran a hand through her now dry dark hair and then looked at Kaylin and Pele in turn. “Kaylin…did very well in learning disguise and taking on a persona, although you may not suspect it given her personality. I know you are more aware of that Pele. It was in practicing her disguise and information gathering that she first encountered Shamara and discovered her connections to this trafficking. She has also been a target of an organization called the Black Hand, and together with assistance from Thûllir, has often been involved in rooting out operatives.” Her eyes were serious. “In that, even though she is no longer officially an operative of our kingdom, she has continued to be targeted and likely maintains contacts. I do to a small extent, but was never in the field. As an operative, she would be answerable to me and the Steward…now the King…for the taking of lives, and yet had permission to do so in quieter ways than open combat when it was in the best interest of the kingdom. Not entirely different from our writ as Rangers now, but different in some important ways. We act on behalf of the King and use violence when needed, but more often in situations of open conflict or in the prevention of conflict.” She lifted a shoulder slightly. “The name Tirdinen means little now in terms of what it meant to those who were in it before. Kaylin has resources and is definitely of use in this situation. I don’t know, but I think that once her anger calms she will be highly effective in working with you, Arnyn. She knows her work, and she knows Shamara. She may also be hurt that you didn’t mention things to her before, Pele, given your friendship and her expertise. I can try to answer further questions, but may not know the answers.”


Ranger Thûllir Bregedyr
Just outside of HQ

That it took a few moments for her to process his suggestions both showed her level of anger and that she was working to listen and keep it under control. Thûllir didn’t mind the harshness of her “fine” since she had agreed, and watched her turn quickly to go. There was no appearance of hurry to his actions, but he quickly moved to follow and stretched his legs so that she wasn’t far ahead on the street leading to their home. He caught her glance back and smiled slightly. No, he wasn’t going to leave her to deal with things alone.

[Arnyn]

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain's Office

Mourgan left the room in the space after her question about Kaylin, and before any of the women left in the room could reply, Arnyn heard the loud and jarring sound of something hard being hit against stone. She winced at the first CLANG. Neither Pele or Karis moved to the door opening to see who it was or what exactly they were doing. Now, it was true that they had heard the crash of the door that could have only been Kaylin, so the redhead would have left. And yes, Mourgan had also been upset. It did not take much to make an assumption, but Arnyn preferred facts when she could obtain them. And so, she moved to learn against the doorpost of Pele's office, looking out into HQ's main room with crossed arms and a thoughtful expression. She caught the last hit of Mourgan's helm against one of the stone pillars, and saw the state of his helmet in his hand as he strode to the exit. The door was thrown open yet again. Then he was gone.

Arnyn slowly took in a deep breath. This meeting... while utterly necessary... and useful... Well. Let's just say it could have gone better.

At the sound of Pele's deep sigh, Arnyn looked back toward the desk and saw Pele sitting into her chair with her face in her hands. Arnyn's heart went out to her friend again. The meeting must have been emotionally exhausting for her, and Pele would surely feel its reverberations for a while. Yet Pele had also taken important steps on her path to healing. And that had been one of the reasons this meeting had been crucial.

When Pele moved to lean her chin on her hand, Arnyn's head tilted. She frowned at Pele's reply. Extra training? Arnyn's gaze shifted to Karis when Pele indicated the Cúner would be able to provide more details, and the Lieutenant moved closer to the desk again.

Listening to Karis, Arnyn nodded with a frown at her mention of the Muinamacar. The frown deepened as Karis continued. While she would have watched her expression in the presence of others, she saw no reason to guard it in the presence of Karis and Pele, two women she knew well, whom she trusted, and whom she knew would not easily draw the wrong conclusions from her cues.
The sadness of the world, that some form or other of the grey company seemed to be needed every so often. Silent guardians? That was an interesting way of looking at it. While Arnyn understood the need for such work, and would acknowledge it as folly not to have any such resources available when it was an apparent need, the Muinamacar had always sort of rubbed her the wrong way. Yet she knew herself well; she recognized that her gut reaction to spies and those with an 'additional' license to kill was her idealism getting in the way.

Kaylin and Thûllir? Arnyn's frown made way for lifted eyebrows. She of course knew Thûllir had been a Ranger of Ithilien and Kaylin a soldier in the army. But that they had both been trained like this? They had been fully trained, or so Karis made it sound. A dangerous couple, indeed. And in Kaylin's case, at least, entirely unexpected. The more Karis said about Kaylin's experience, the more surprised Arnyn became. Kaylin was so unlike any of the Muinamacar Arnyn had known. Those Rangers tended to be either quiet, brooding - or had in some way felt undecipherable. Whereas Kaylin seemed to value company and laughter, and a direct approach in her dealings with people. Not to mention the woman was an open book! Arnyn wouldn't have thought for a second that Kaylin could hide who she was, least of all what she felt - especially not after what she had just witnessed. And now Karis was telling her that Kaylin was proficient at disguises and taking on a persona? Part of Arnyn could not help but wonder whether Kaylin's usual behaviour, then, was also completely genuine. It could be, of course, and probably was - Pele and Karis seemed to know the redhead well. But it might not be... if Kaylin was so gifted in these areas. If not, it would be a mighty impressive front, she supposed. Highly unlikely.

The name 'the Black Hand' meant little as of yet to Arnyn. Something else she needed to be briefed on? She glanced at Pele, but her gaze soon returned to Karis, who continued. Arnyn wasn't sure how she felt about any of this. Yet it was clear there was much more to Kaylin than she would have thought. To Thûllir, as well, obviously, but somehow hearing he had received such training seemed less surprising, as Arnyn had only seen him as calm, collected and indeed more of a quiet type. Hearing that Kaylin had such skills and resources was good in the light of the assignment they had been given. But it also took Arnyn aback. Had it been wise to train someone with such a temper as Kaylin apparently possessed?

Karis' personal opinion about Kaylin was clearly positive, however, and Arnyn trusted the Cúner's judgment in this. She nodded pensively. For a moment, silence ruled the office. And trusting Karis' judgment did not mean that Arnyn was no longer interested in as broad a picture as she could get.

"Karis," Arnyn then began, quietly, "you said that Kaylin was answerable to you for the taking of lives in her capacity as a... Tirdinen operative. Did she? Take lives?" After a pause, she added: "Did Thûllir?"

[Karis Ziranphel]

Cúner Ranger Karis Ziranphel
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain’s Office

Ziran waited in silence, letting both Arnyn and Pele process her words. It was a lot to take in, and she could see the contemplative concern that Arnyn rarely let show. The quiet question, when it came, made perfect sense given what she had just disclosed. Ziran shook her head, and her gaze was clear. “Not Kaylin, no. She is one who prefers battle, and has not taken a life in her role with the Tirdinen. Only once do I know of that was outside her role as a soldier, and that was in clear self-defense when she was attacked in her own home. Even now, I don’t think she is as open to execution as she might sound. Combat is her way.” She paused slightly and tucked a thumb through her sword belt. “Thûllir…yes. Twice. Both were reasoned decisions that were clear to me as well when he briefed me afterwards. But I think it is different with him having been in Ithilien so long. He has become more inured to having to use stealth and deal death in a way that isn’t always face to face. He has a compassionate heart, but is also calmly practical, and acted only when the needs of the kingdom called for it. He is also able to talk to Kaylin in ways that I cannot, and it is helpful that they share this training.” Ziran wasn’t sure if it would help or hinder Arnyn’s perception of them, but it should help her understanding of them.

[Arnyn]

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain's Office

Arnyn let Karis' words sink in, after listening to them with an open mind. At least... a lot of what Karis had said this time was more in line with her expectations. That Kaylin was one who prefered battle and taking lives in combat, for example. That fit much better with the mental image Arnyn had so far built of the other Hyandaner.

Some things were still a surprise, however. Kaylin had been attacked in her own home and had killed to defend herself. Arnyn could only assume this was one of the ways Kaylin had been targeted by this 'Black Hand'. Targeted indeed. It was no matter of simple harassment, then.

And Thûllir had taken lives as an operative. Twice. Even though she had only learned of this training moments ago, for some reason this didn't quite surprise her as much as hearing about Kaylin's skills at taking on a persona. It did seem to fit him better. And she believed Karis somehow when the former Captain said that those two instances had been reasoned decisions which she found very clear.

Perhaps it was a relief to hear that it had been Thûllir and not Kaylin who had killed in their capacity as... spies on behalf of Gondor. A relief to hear that Thûllir's body count in this regard was low and reasoned, as Arnyn would have expected from the first word Karis had uttered about it. And that Kaylin - about whom Arnyn had had concerns that she might be too emotional and spontaneous and thus resort to killing too fast - did not even have a body count as such. That did tell Arnyn that Kaylin was not exactly as capricious as she had feared just moments before.

"Thank you, Karis, for that clarification." She meant it. And could now move on from the subject, unless Pele still had comments or questions. To show she had no further questions, Arnyn noted: "Let us hope that Thûllir can talk to Kaylin now, then."

The Lieutenant's gaze then settled on the Captain. She still had something to say and ask Pele, but that should wait until they were alone.

[Pele Alarion]

Captain Pele Alarion
Headquarters, Nárië 20

Pele listened carefully to explanations of the secretive part included in duties Kaylin and Thûllir had carried out, filling in the details of what she had not known yet. She had figured out some of Kaylin's skills this far, especially in gathering intelligence, and had seen her successfully take on playing roles of someone else. She had not known of Thûllir's involvement though, even if it did not come across as something overly surprising. Satisfied with information Karis had provided, Pele only nodded as if to approve of it.

"I must admit," she then added thoughtfully, "That it seems I will have to make some amends both with Kaylin and Mourgan, though it might be better to let them calm down a bit..."

Straightening in her chair, she than shrugged lightly and looked at Karis and Arnyn in turn. "But quite a few things are sorted out and information, or at least much of it, has been shared. For now," she said, though there was still a feeling that not everything was right as it should be.

[Karis Ziranphel]

Cúner Ranger Karis Ziranphel
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain’s Office

It didn’t seem they had further questions at this time, but Ziran was glad that what she had said was useful. She nodded at Arnyn’s hope that Thûllir would be helpful to Kaylin. If anyone could help her work through things it was likely to be him, as few others knew her as well. She looked to Pele, and knew a dismissal when she heard it. The meeting, or at least her part in it, was over for now.

Bowing slightly, she saluted with her fist to her chest. “Thank you for your trust, and I will take my leave. Give them both time, Pele.” It was little assurance, but some wounds were better healed from time than further words. She placed her hand on Arnyn’s shoulder as she turned to leave. “Congratulations again, Arnyn. I don’t envy you the work, but I know you will do well, and the two of you will be a good team. I am ever at your disposal. Lieutenant. Captain.” With a nod to each in turn, she left and closed the door quietly behind her.

[Arnyn]

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain's Office

Arnyn gave Karis a genuine smile when she congratulated her again. Some amusement as well as understanding lit Arnyn's eyes when Karis said she did not envy her for the work involved. After returning the Cúner's nod, Arnyn turned with her to watch her leave.

When the door had closed - quietly, this time, a nice change - Arnyn turned to Pele.

"Captain..." Her voice was soft, but not hesitant. This meeting had brought up many emotions. "Are you alright?"

Arnyn lowered her head. "I apologize for putting you in that position." Pele would know exactly what she was referring to. Arnyn's probing question about what was behind the guilt Relic was using against her, and Pele's subsequent admission to those present at the meeting. "It was a risky move and I knew it could very well have exploded in my face - and perhaps it might still," the new Lieutenant said, offering the Captain the opportunity to punish her for it. "All I can say in my defense is that I was trying to help." Arnyn thought it had, especially because of the words that it had brought forth from several of the rangers. Pele needed to know she was not alone, not to blame - and that she had support. "If it did not help, I am deeply sorry. Regardless - I will of course accept the consequences of my actions."

[Pele Alarion]

Captain Pele Alarion
Headquarters, Captain's Office, Nárië 20

"Aye, I won't rush," Pele responded to Karis' suggestion to give the two angry people some time. Standing she returned the Cúner's salute and a slow nod as she watched her leave.

Now that she was standing already, Pele moved to her favourite spot by the window and after a brief look outside turned her attention to Arnyn. She listened to her friend's words, and despite the seriousness of the whole situation she could not help but feel slightly amused at the expressed expectation that the previous pressure might backfire.

"Should I send you to the kitchens and tell Pete to give you a big sack of onions to cut?" she finally said, merry glint in her eyes. "I think he already has found a willing assistant in Romeran, though, and also might think I am a bit crazy to waste the resources of the new officer on such tasks."

Then Pele became more serious, though a hint of a smile still lingered on her face. "I would lie if I said it was easy," she admitted. "It was unpleasant, felt like some wounds were cut open afresh and were bleeding, but I figure it was needed. I know I don't necessarily have to act tough at all times, at least not with these people, and I know I have support. But I also do feel exhausted and might need time to process everything and figure out what it means for me, and what I should practically change in my daily living based on this."

"So..." she paused, smile growing a little more as she looked at Arnyn. "No permanent harm done. In fact, I might just be thankful instead."

[Arnyn]

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain's Office

"I would cut every last onion, Captain, if that was your order," she said matter-of-factly, although it was becoming more likely already that Pele might not be too upset with Arnyn. The latter kept her peace when Pele spoke and explained how she thought and felt about the matter.

At Pele's last sentence, Arnyn almost blinked. No permanent harm done between them - that was good. That was all she could have hoped for, really. But, now Pele said she might even be thankful? For a moment, she stood stunned. Arnyn was not sure what to say.

In the end, she bowed her head and put her hand over her heart before looking up at her Captain and friend. "Then I am thankful in return."

"Is there anything I can help with now that might allow you to retire for the day?" If Pele was exhausted, she should rest. "Onions or otherwise?" Arnyn chanced a faint smile.

[Pele Alarion]

Captain Pele Alarion
Headquarters, Captain's Office, Nárië 20

"I have not been exactly eager to handle the hard stuff, for too long, so the pressure to move towards solution was good, no matter how I react at the moment," Pele said by the way of explanation and shrugged lightly. For all she knew, she might still try and revert back to hiding from the problems if she were not careful, but now with so many in the know it would no longer be that easy.

"I don't know about onions, but I'd appreciate if you kept an eye on matters here in case some important reports come in or what not," she said, having considered Arnyn's offer. "I might go for a walk in the gardens of the Houses of Healing. I doubt I'll be able to stop thinking of this all, but perhaps I'll come up with ideas of how to smooth out the other relationships at least. A broader view before eyes can sometimes inspire a broader view of the mind on matters at hand."

Pele moved away from the window and took a couple determined steps towards the door, and then turned to face Arnyn again. "Oh, by the way," she said, as if remembering something important and pointing her finger up. Then she stepped in to place her hands on Arnyn's shoulders. "Thanks for being so relentless, Arnyn," she actually put words to the previous mention of gratitude, offered a slightly tired smile, and finally went for the door.

[Ercassie]

Ehtyar Ilisys Azrubêl
Room 4, North Wing, Barracks – 20 Nárië
After the Captain’s Security Meeting

The room was untouched, it looked exactly how she had left it. And yet it now felt somehow different. Was different. Was she ? A hand urged the door to quietly close behind her, the finality of it’s swing encasing her in a sanctum of peace. Or so it should have been. But instead a silence beat all around her head, like a bird with far too many wings to fly away. She could still hear them. The words. The words that they had spoke. The words which they had not. The secrets she had shared. The sly glances that had screamed back at her naivety.

“Some,” Pele had said, “are aware of more details than others …”

There were understatements of course, and then there was that. At the crux of it all, there was that. All else, whether it be secrets unspilt, or feelings flaunted, or simply an utter fracture of what she had been sold as ‘family’; it was all a disappointment. She had disappointed herself furthermore, by expecting anything more .. and that she could blame on no other.

Lowering herself sedately into a seat, grey eyes closed. Isys allowed it only a minute of her time, counting down the seconds before letting the breath away. Then grey eyes opened, to appraise the moon face in the mirror. That stranger stared on back at her, relentless; gauging an opinion from appearance, as only private reflection can accomplish.


The Ehtyar picked up a pearl-encrusted comb that she had owned so long she did not even remember how long. Running the ornamental tool calmly through her dark mane, she observed her other self perform the act behind the safeguard of unbroken glass. Silly fractured little thing, she faced down the stranger that she’d introduced as herself. Disjointed and dressed all in the false unity of black and white. Never had the colours of her nation been more apt. Black. And white. The two extreme ends of a spectrum. She had just witnessed it firsthand and found that, as ever, she did not fit in either understanding.

Ilisys had never attended a meeting like it. She had never been invited to one before of course. She had not known what to expect. But it would not have been .. whatever that had been. Everything from the get go to the abruptly unsatisfying end. She felt somehow that she was both more informed and less at the same time, and quite unsure how that might quite have come about. But there was no other way to describe it. Was she sorry ? Some. But the sea never apologised. And the sky saw too much to even ask.


Slowly, surely, she coiled the natural waves of her ink-stained hair into ebony braids that snaked all about her head. Fragility thwarted. The order of the action allowed for her trembling hands to fall about only familiar patterns. She cast off the livery that she had thought would see her look .. as they all looked .. Uniform ... it was a joke. There was only all else but uniform in her peers. Adorning herself in layers of belated protection, she turned next to the armour stand that stood as sentinel at the end of her bed. Like a mother with it’s arms cast wide out for embrace, or so she imagined. Her actual mother was not designed for embracing. They bred women like steel magnolias where she was from. Polite, polished, far from perfect. But protected. Their poise a projected weapon. Their words a practiced peril. Their hearts encased in ornate vaults with an endless array of silks and veils to strangle any foolish infiltration.

There was no affront of embrace or unrestrained emotion which might rend the blued steel of the Ehtyar’s armour. Wherever she stood, whatever she faced. It was home to her. It was what she knew, what she loved, what she was. Different … But no less deadly for all the disarming decoration. Calmly she enriched her person with piece after piece of the elaborately shaped metal; building up her defences until she felt assured that naught would penetrate beneath. And she stood not as an immense block of strength, but rather an intricate play of all the many shapes and sizes that consorted to allow both force and fluidity at once. Every inconceivable little inch was etched with precision of the best artists in her home town. The cerulean blue of her tabard leant a proud and unblemished vibrancy to the charade of a superficial undertow, crowned all by a gleaming golden sun, to blind all fool enough to set too keen an eye about her.


Orders had been given, but they would require, for her part, some breaking further words with the Captain. And neither she nor Pele was likely in a place to afford that right now. The Ehtyar did not know what she might say. And it was clearly not safe to speak without guard. She had said both too much and not enough, and she had the distinct impression that she was not alone in that regard. Now she had to teach, at the training Grounds. And give away none of what she had just learned.

Thankfully, convolution was her favourite shade of camouflage.

[Isolde Alarion]

Recruit Amber
Barracks
Room 1

She took her time getting to the barracks room. Mostly to check out the lay of the land. Become familiar with the terrain and all that. She couldn't help but smile to herself as one after another Ranger greeted her and was very willing to help her with anything she needed but what she needed she was sure they couldn't help or wouldn't help with.

With her pack slung over her left shoulder she perused her way along till she found room 1. Pushing the door she let it swing open as she stood at the entrance and surveyed her new sleeping arraignments. Four empty bunks, trunks for storage nothing great to look at but then she didn't plan on spending much time there. Her boots lightly echoed on the stone floor as she entered and swung her pack around to drop it on the closest lower bunk. She went to the small window and looked out.

She wasn't looking for a view, she needed an exit if need be. The amber eyes looked from one possible perch to another till she worked out a plan. In a pinch it would do. Not that they were going to let her stroll through the large front doors when she was finished so she always looked for an out.

She turned from the window and went back to her pack. Unclasping it she flipped it open and reached in. Nimble fingers searched blindly for it, it's smooth surface she recognized and she pulled it from the pack. She brought it up level with her amber gaze as she slowly rolled it between her fingers. The vial and it's blackened liquid contents churned and swirled under the scrutiny of her gaze.

Black Nightshade, with a twist. It had cost her plenty to acquire the liquid but it had cost her even more to have the added ingredient which would not only render the victim helpless with the effects of Nightshade but would seal their fate if an antidote were not administered shortly after. It sped up the effects of the Black Nightshade which would usually be administered through some liquid that had to have time to do it's damage but with this, time was reduced to minutes and no liquid was needed.

It could be spread through the air, water or direct contact at the tip of a blade. Speaking of which, she reached into the folds of her shirt at her belt line. Unfurling the small dagger she brought it up even with the top bunk. Placing it on the bed she set the vial on the bunk next to it. She pulled the blade from it's scabbard then turned to uncorking the vial. Carefully she let a small amount drip onto the edge of the dagger. The black liquid dried quickly so by the time she corked the vial and returned it to the bed the edge of the dagger was dry and she slipped it back into the scabbard for safe keeping. The vial she would have to tuck away until another time.

She looked around her barrack, this place was too public for the vial to be safe. They could search it at anytime. No, this she had to place somewhere safe, somewhere they would not look for such a thing. She would find a place in her wanderings. She tucked it away for now. Once more into her pack she searched but this thing was much easier a find. A flask, she pulled it out and uncorked it. It was nothing fancy, plain even. She'd wanted it that way. Something a poor orphan would have, anything fancy would be questioned.

Placed to her lips she drank deep, it's bitter, coppery taste coated her tongue and taste buds. Taking her fill she lowered it, her eyes closed as she did so. She could feel it flow downward, into the pit of her stomach where it coiled hot and it's effects radiated outward from her stomach to her chest and heart where it then went to her extremities.

Opening her eyes two crystalline orbs showed themselves, they swirled like liquid mercury and she felt a rush of heat flow through her body. She looked down as she raised her hand where she'd sliced it on the blade in the armory. She brushed her fingers over her thumb and felt a burning sensation over the cut, it left as fast as it came and with it the cut was gone, healed. She then closed her eyes and when she opened them again it was the plain amber eyes she saw the world through. She corked the flask. This she found a small opening above the door, a chink in the plaster. She slipped it away for safe keeping.

Now it was time to wander, to observe and to learn. She left her pack on the bunk, they would find nothing out of the ordinary there. A spare set of poor clothes, a wrapped square of dried cheese and a book. Healing herbs and their uses. She'd dog eared a few pages to make it look worn.

Out the door she went. Off to cause hate and discontent..

[Isolde Alarion]

Headquarters, Nárië 20
Ranger Mourgan Alarion
Just outside the HQ
@Arnyn

He took her hand and gave it a firm shake, sealing their agreement. Her words of confirmation caused a small bit of his anger to burn off at having someone agree with him. She had to go now and find something to take the fire from within her, he understood how she felt. He was most likely headed to the training grounds to beat up something that could withstand his anger.
He gave her a curt nod before she turned away from him. He wasted no time and left to deal with his own emotions.

~~~~~~~~~~
Ranger Mourgan Alarion
Mens Barracks 3
@Rillewen

It felt good to get the days watch washed off him and he rose from the wash tub feeling better having had a good scrub. He quickly grabbed his towel to catch the water dripping off him then he quickly dried himself. The small wash room afforded him a bit of privacy to dress and gather his armor. With his brown hair slightly damp he left and headed back to his barracks room.

He was thinking of the dishes he would have to wash and if he should report sooner rather then later to just get it over with. That thought led to Trastion. It seemed his roomie had a knack for trouble. He only hoped this wasn't going to be an everyday thing. He scratched at his stubbled chin in thought as he opened the door to room 3. He paused a moment when he seen Trastion laid out on the bed. "Well, it must not have been to bad a scolding. You're still alive." He half joked with him although his tone was even.

He moved toward his bunk and tossed his armor on the foot of it. He sat on the edge and tried to brush his damp hair out by running his fingers through it as he saw the stain again which reminded him of his request to help find some alcohol to clean it with. Without saying anything he leaned back and toward the head of his bed. His hand reached into the folds of the blanket and he seemed to be fishing for something.

Leaning back up his hand returned with a flask. "Here." He tossed it lightly to Trastion. "Use it sparingly, it's not the cheap stuff. " He noted as he sat upright. " So, who's the girl?" He motioned to the ink stain.

[Rillewen]

@Isolde Alarion

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - beginning of the month long room inspections
Barracks; Room 3

The moment he heard the door beginning to open, Trastion slipped the paper under his pillow, the only thing he had retrieved from the floor so far. Actually, between the pillow case and the pillow. As Mourgan entered, Trastion lifted his head to verify that it was his roommate, and gave a little laugh at his comment. "Yeah, not too bad." He sat up, scratching a little at the places where the uniform was a little itchy. Hopefully that would go away as it got worn. Which seemed likely to happen if it was the only thing he had to wear. Which reminded him, "She uh..told me to ask you to show me where the laundry place is, by the way." He mentioned, before admitting, "I had no idea there was such a place."

Quickly catching the bottle, Trastion raised an eyebrow slightly to notice that his roommate had had something, most likely forbidden, hidden away. In the bed that Lt. Brian had so highly praised. Interesting. A half smile tugged at his lips as he got up from his own bed, still bare of its sheets. "Good thing the lieutenant didn't discover this, huh?" He mentioned, grinning. Now, to find something to clean with. Taking a look around at his stuff, he frowned. Well, the shirt was ruined, might as well make it useful somehow. He grabbed the one he had been wearing when Mourgan left the room, and dabbed a little of the alcohol on one corner of the shirt before kneeling and starting to scrub at the spot on the floor.

Mourgan's question caught him a bit off-guard, and he paused in his work to take a glance over at him. "What girl?" He asked, careful to keep his tone level. "Oh, by the way," He carried on quickly, hoping to distract the ranger from that topic, "Do you happen to know anyplace to buy clothes? Nothing expensive or fancy, I can't really afford much. I'll probably have to wait for payday..whenever that is. But, I'm gonna need more clothes, especially at the rate mine keep getting ruined." He held up the shirt that was now his cleaning rag as evidence, before returning to scrubbing. "I swear, I've been having such terrible luck this week," He sighed. He was blaming it on that dog. More specifically, on losing his "good luck charms", which was the dog's doing.

Pausing for a moment, Trastion glanced back toward Mourgan. "I'm sorry about the room, though. Hyandaner Dealedwen says we're supposed to be like a family here. I..guess it's going to be harder than I thought, getting used to having 'family' again." He mentioned quietly, and looked down. "I should've at least glanced over your part of the room, and put the mugs someplace out of sight."

[Isolde Alarion]

Ranger Mourgan Alarion
w Recruit Tastion
Barracks, Room 3
@Rillewen

Mourgan still sat on the edge of his bunk and tried to dry his hair as he listened to his roomie ask where the laundry was then if he knew a place to buy some clothes. He stopped what he was doing and shrugged when he commented on the lieutenant not finding his stash of alcohol. "Misdirection. He likes the way I keep my bunk so he rarely if ever tears it apart to inspect it. Why ruin a good thing hu?" He paused for a moment thinking on the clothes as he watched Trastion rub at the stain.

"When you're ready we'll head for the laundry and then after that we'll go to the market place to find you some clothes. We don't get paid for another week so.." he paused a moment."I suppose I can give you a loan enough to put a clean shirt on your back at least. Just promise no more ink spills. " He motioned to the floor. "and you never answered about the girl. I understand, most of the men here have some girl their writing home too. Some have more then one." He half smiled through the scruff on his chin.

Trastion seemed to be truly sorry for not taking care of the mugs to which Mourgan went to lean his arms on his knees. "Look, don't feel bad. I left them, that was my fault" He leaned back up. "Suppose I got a little lazy with having the room to myself for so long, suppose I need to work on that. He half muttered to himself.

[Arnyn]

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Nárië 20
Captain's Office

"Of course, Captain," Arnyn replied to Pele's orders to mind things at headquarters. She watched as her friend moved from the window and headed toward the door, and the Hyandaner found herself surprised when Pele turned and approached to put her hands on Arnyn's shoulders. For some reason, the look on the Captain's face made Arnyn feel very young all of a sudden.

"Thanks for being so relentless, Arnyn."

She was not sure how to react to such words, so she took in Pele's tired smile and managed no more than a nod as the Captain headed out the door of the office.

Alone now, Arnyn's eyes lingered on the doorway for a while, mulling over everything that had just happened.
She had learned things about rangers she did not yet know that well. Not nearly all of it positive. And more than some of it complicated.
She had pushed her friend and captain, and although Pele seemed grateful, it had obviously been extremely hard on her, and while Arnyn was willing to risk coming across as abrasive if it actually helped those she cared about, it was decidedly not something she enjoyed.
And she had learned more about the two threats they were facing - facing in Pele's name, but also in the name of all those they had sequestered.

The Lieutenant sighed. How had she found her way back to a position of leadership, anyway?

The door, she left open.

[Rillewen]

@Isolde Alarion

Trastion Leithor
New recruit - beginning of the month long room inspections
Barracks; Room 3

There seemed to be a lot to learn, far more than Trastion had expected. Laundry, making beds, how to clean, places to shop... and that wasn't even ranger skills. He wasn't used to having to worry about any of that stuff. He hoped Mourgan, as well as Arnyn, wouldn't get frustrated with him for all of this stuff. Focusing on trying to get the ink stain off of the floor, he was relieved to see it growing lighter. He refreshed the dab of alcohol on the cloth and redoubled his efforts, now that he saw that it would work.

He was surprised, then, to hear Mourgan suggest that he could give him a loan until payday. He wouldn't have asked, but that would certainly make things much easier for him. "Are you sure? I'd really appreciate it, but if it's going to inconvenience you, I can probably wait." He mentioned, then gave a half smile at the promise Mourgan asked in return. "I promise to try my best," He grinned. "That goes for ink stains as well as mud. But, well... it was an accident. I seem to be having a lot of those," He shrugged and continued scrubbing. It was getting lighter.

The topic of 'the girl' was revisited, despite his efforts to steer the conversation away from his letter writing. He held back a sigh as he continued to scrub, listening to Mourgan talk about the others writing to their girls. The idea of having multiple girls was just.. strange. Trastion didn't even want to commit to any relationships yet, so the idea of juggling more than one girl? Absurd. But, the fact that Mourgan had persisted in his inquiry told him that he wasn't likely to be put off, and might just persist all the more. So what could he tell him, without lying, and yet without telling who she was, really? "Maybe I was practicing my drawing skills," Trastion joked, stalling for a moment to think. He frowned slightly to himself as he sat back to study the spot on the floor. The ink stain was gone, but that spot looked cleaner than the rest now. Great.

Part of him wanted to correct Mourgan's assumption that it was a girl he was romantically involved with. But then the logical side pointed out that it might help him to let Mourgan believe that. Putting the cap back on the alcohol bottle, Trastion stood up, running a hand through his hair with a sigh. He tossed the ruined shirt over to join the other one before crossing the room to hand the bottle back to Mourgan. "She's... the only girl in my life that I really care about." He shrugged. "I don't know if I should tell you her name though." He hesitated before acknowledging a flaw in his letter plan, "I.. uh.. I don't even know how I'm going to send her a letter without her father finding out." He sighed. "Or, more specifically, I'm not sure what to put for a return address, so that she can write me back, and the letter actually get to me." He frowned, trying to go over that sentence to check if it made any sense. "I wrote it under disguise," He explained, feeling a little awkward to be talking about it at all. "She'll know who it's from, of course.. but her father won't. Or, I hope not. But if she writes me back... and addresses it to the name I'll put on the envelope... no one will know it's for me." He had no idea how that would work. Maybe this was a bad plan after all.

[Arnyn]

Summer
@Rillewen


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters - command office

It was the day she had requested Duinion to report to her at headquarters, and so Arnyn had made sure to be in the office. Pele and she were sharing the office at the moment. Arnyn didn't really feel like she needed a separate office, since they were rarely at HQ at the same time anyway - so far, at least.

She'd risen early to get in some training, and afterward cleaned up for at least part of the day at HQ. She'd taken a load of the paperwork she had promised to do off Pele's hands, and had decided to wear some of her heavier armor pieces today, as not to lose the feel for it. She had been pressing the importance of being used to your armor on Trastion, and while she was very accustomed to her lighter armor variations - often wearing pieces of her armor even though the day's activities didn't necessarily call for it - her heaviest armor set had been a bit neglected since the end of the War. And given that she intended to practice what she preached...

... she had been going through the paperwork with steel pauldrons on her shoulders, steel vambraces around her forearms, a steel cuirass around her torso and steel greaves strapped around her high leather boots. The armoured gloves were lying on a corner of her desk, seeing as she would find it hard to write with those on. As the hours progressed, however, she found the cuirass somehow more cumbersome as she was sitting down behind her desk than if she were running around on the training grounds. Once the stack of papers in front of her was smaller than the stack off to her right, he scowled at herself and rose from her chair to take off the damned steel. She much preferred her black leather one, but even as she tried to justify her preference by reasoning with herself that the occasions that called for the steel version were few, she knew that all of this only confirmed she should try and get more comfortable with her heavier armor pieces.

Arnyn sighed. She stretched a bit, walked to the open door and then back to the desk to sit back down. Best keep the damned things on, then.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Duinion & Erynneth Raedor
Headquarters

"Erynneth, I can manage this on my own," Duinion informed his daughter, with a touch of grumpiness. He couldn't help being a bit annoyed after the way she made such a fuss about making sure he was using the crutches, and trying to help him down from the cart. Now she ignored him and proceeded to hold the door open for him as he prepared to go into the headquarters building. "I'm all grown up you know. I managed just fine without your help the last time I came here, remember?"

"You mean when you set your foot's healing back by a month or so?" She reminded him with an innocent smile. "Yes, you managed that just fine, Dad."

Duinion gave her a suspicious look, frowning slightly. Was that an eye roll she just did? But she had a point, and that was what he found so annoying right now. "Who's the parent here, you or me?" He grumbled, making his slow way inside. "You needn't follow me in, I can find my way without your help. Remember, I happen to know a little bit about navigating my way around?" he reminded his daughter, with a brief glance around the interior of the place. The captain's office was just ahead, and he figured that would be where Lieutenant Arnyn would be waiting.

With a little laugh, Eryn shook her head. "I'm not so sure, you might "accidentally" lose... something," She mentioned with a not-so-conspicious glance toward the crutches she knew he despised.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to ditch the crutches as soon as you aren't looking," It was now his turn to roll his eyes, but followed it up by smiling faintly at her, despite remaining a bit annoyed with his teenaged daughter. He'd heard before that, in parenting, teenage years were almost worse than the toddler years. He'd thought for sure that wouldn't happen with his sweet little daughter, but now that she had entered that phase of her life, he was beginning to understand what those folks had meant when they said that. And the more she learned from the healers, the more bossy she seemed to get toward her 'favorite patient', and used the 'healer's orders' as an excuse for why he shouldn't argue the point. That was hardly fair!

Eryn grinned at him. "I can't imagine you would do such a thing." She responded, with a tone that seemed to hint that was exactly what she would expect him to try. Although he didn't have any sort of ointment to numb his foot now, she knew he hated having to use crutches at all, and suspected that he might try to pretend like he didn't need them. Trailing along, she matched her father's slow, crutch-using pace, possibly fretting a bit more than was necessary. But he was the only father she had. And the only parent she had left, and she couldn't help worrying. As they neared the open door to the captain's office, Eryn stepped ahead of her father and knocked on the door frame for him before glancing back with another innocent smile, pretending like she had no idea why he was giving her a look of slight annoyance. Sure, he could have knocked on the door himself. But he had crutches under his arms and it was just easier for them both if she did it.

[Arnyn]

Summer
@Rillewen


Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters - command office

She was reading one of the Barracks Master's letters, and was mildly amused along with astonished that he would report what seemed to her like every little thing. Arnyn wondered if Pele replied to these letters. She supposed it wasn't the worst thing to know which of the guys had the most um.. spirit. But did she really need to know who had a stash of dirty underwear under their bed? As she was contemplating on whether to reply or not, a knock distracted her.

"Come in," she said, loud and clear enough to be heard, which wouldn't be hard with the open door. Arnyn rose from her seat. Her eyes flicked to the two chairs she'd set up on the other side of the desk. Two, because she hadn't wanted Duinion to feel like she had specifically placed a chair there simply because he had injured his foot. Never mind that it was true. She did not want him to feel babied.

Upon seeing Eryn had accompanied her father all the way to the office, Arnyn smiled softly. "Good morning, Eryn, Duinion. How was the trip up here?"

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Duinion & Erynneth Raedor
Headquarters - Captain's office

"Hello, Lieutenant," Duinion replied quietly, with a lingering trace of irritation in his tone as they entered together, Eryn hovering near his side as if to catch him should he start to fall.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," Eryn smiled at Arnyn. "We had a very nice trip up, thank you." She answered, possibly exaggerating a little on the 'very nice' part, and ignored her father's faint scoffing noise. "Would it be alright for him to sit down?" She asked, trying to guide him toward one of the chairs. "He isn't suppos-"

"I don't need to sit down, I'm perfectly capable of standing, Erynneth." He sighed, stubbornly not budging.

"...Isn't supposed to put any weight on his foot." Eryn continued, rolling her eyes at his impatience.

"I'll stand, thank you." He frowned at Eryn. "I've done nothing but sit around for the last several weeks. I can do that anytime. I am capable of standing on one foot without putting weight on the other, you know."

Eryn shrugged, sighing. "Fine." She looked back at Arnyn. "I hope you've had a nice morning." She added, with a slight edge to her voice that might imply her own morning had been...stressful, to say the least. "Are you sure you don't want to sit down?" She added, turning back to her dad with a worried expression. "I mean, you could fall, and..."

Duinion stared at her with a slight frown, and a brief silence passed, as if father and daughter were engaging in a battle of wills, before he spoke again. "Don't you have some errands to run?"

Sighing, Eryn gave up. "Fine. I love you too, Dad." She carefully hugged him. "But stay off your foot." She added with the sternest tone she could manage. "Goodbye Lieutenant, and good luck." She added with a little laugh before setting off for her errands, as Duinion had all but ordered her to do.

Duinion couldn't help a faint smile as he returned the hug as best he could with the crutches hindering him, and watched his daughter make her exit, his face a mix between frustration and amusement. He sighed once she was out of earshot. "She thinks I'm helpless," he commented as he turned back to Arnyn, with a frown settling on his face. "Insisted on walking me in here, as if I'm a toddler or something." The frown deepened; it bothered him for his daughter to treat him as if she thought he needed her to help him every step of the way. Although, the moment she was no longer around to see, he couldn't help glancing toward one of the chairs he had previously rejected. "Although, if it is alright, I would rather sit. These are... rather uncomfortable to lean on for very long." He mentioned, with a glare down at the crutches.