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 Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 2:56 pm
"Have you met any others in your position? Those with tainted items, or perhaps the conscious Plagues?"
"Several," Audrey grumbled, folding her arms across her chest, the tail still gripped in one hand. Recalling her encounters with other Grimms and Plagues painted her expression into a rather exasperated grimace. Most all had been experiences she could have done without, and none had exactly made it onto her white list; even Lord Yizhaq, though he was certainly much more helpful than the rest.
The girl did not bother to elaborate further, as indeed, the question did little for her. It did not seem all that important and, in fact, most of these seemed more like small talk than anything of importance. Audrey figured they meant something to the Lady at least. Otherwise, why ask them at all?
The next inquiry however seemed a bit more engaging.
She raised her brows at the flurry of questions, then lowered them once again in thought. "Well," she replied, lifting her eyes more steadily to look to the woman, " As far as I'm concerned, I don't give a damn what you want the mask for. You asked me to get you one, so I got you one. Whether is was just as some test or actually or any importance... I really don't care." She paused, pressing her lips into a light line for a moment as she considered whether is bluntness had been rude or not... Regardless it was true. " As I understood it," she began again, " It's what I needed to do to get here. So I did it. "
She shrugged. " Why I decided to come here at all is simple. I don't exactly have a world of choices, as you can imagine, but the fellowship seems like the best option I've got. I think we can see eye to eye, have common goals... all that. It's enough for me to give it a shot. I don't really have s**t to lose. "
Finally, she gave an exhale, and unfolded her arms, stealing a glance at the strip of fur clutched in her fingers before turning her gaze back toward Sage. Her voice was stern, and resolute,"and I'm keeping this plague because he... it is my responsibility. It belongs to me and I would keep it whether I wanted it or not. It's just something I have to do. "
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:21 pm
Ms. Hatch's answer was short and this caused one of Lady Estratus' brows to raise expectantly. It was something of an annoyance that the young girl was not being particularly forthcoming, which was what lead to her subsequent bombardment of questions in the first place. The meeting was slow going in terms of content and it was clearly beginning to grate on both of their nerves, each other's patience waning.
Perhaps that was why both of them shared a similar reaction to the unexpected questions, and in Sage's case the surprising amount of emotion and depth to Audrey's answers compared to before. She, too, rose her brows slightly though her eyes continued to show little interest overall. It was somewhat amusing to hear such pointed and passionate (but simultaneously dismissive) replies from someone so young, and Lady Estratus crossed her arms, giving a subtle tilt of her head as she listened closely. Occasionally her gaze shifted between the Hatch girl's hazel eyes and the scampering tail across her hands.
The switch from "he" to "it" in acknowledging the wolf tail caused a slight crease to form between Lady Estratus' brow, but she did not allow it to linger. Even so, there was a sternness that reached her eyes which replaced what previously seemed to be indifference. A single scoff passed the Lady's lips and her own arms unfolded, resting at her sides.
"Very well," she said curtly, turning away from the girl and her tainted tail as she stepped up to the fireplace mantle and retrieved a few papers and an inkhorn with a quill. The items were placed upon the far end of the table where she sat previously, bowl moved out of the way, and Lady Estratus returned to her seat. Her gaze did not rise back to Audrey as she churned the ink in the horn with the tip of the quill, a hawk feather, but her voice did, "For the record, if the tail and its resulting tincture are most active and reactionary during daylight hours then it is, indeed, a he."
Her hand moved quickly, the scratching of quill tip to parchment the only sound for a few sparse moments as she laid out a paper which Audrey could not see. Just when things might have become awkward, Lady Estratus leaned back to examine her work, holding the quill over the inkhorn tentatively so any that lingered would fall back home rather than dirtying the document. "Ms. Hatch, are you able to read and write?" there was a long enough pause for her answer before she bound back with another, "Will you require or request room and board in your joining of the Fellowship, in which case they would be provided for you here in this base free of charge?" another pause just long enough, then, "Will you do as you say and not only keep the Plague which is now beholden to you but also care for him so that he will not be a danger to himself and others?" This was, perhaps, the most important question as it was not so simple and any hesitation on the girl's part could reflect in either direction of her moral standing. At this last one, Lady Estratus finally raised her head and looked the girl in the eye with a keen patience, but her calm gaze was certainly piercing nonetheless.
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Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:59 pm
Audrey stood sternly as the Lady turned from her to retrieve a set of documents and a quill. The young girl's eyes watched as the woman crossed the floor, brows raising ever so slightly in interest as to what the papers were for, and if they regarded her in any way. It was not until Sage spoke again that the southerner broke her expression.
"For the record, if the tail and its resulting tincture are most active and reactionary during daylight hours then it is, indeed, a he."
The girl for only the slightest moment looked intrigued and surprised in what was revealed, before embarrassment quickly shooed it away to replace it with a turn of the head with a diverted gaze; brows pressed down and cheeks beginning to flush. "I-It doesn't matter. It was just a slip of the tongue! It's just a dumb tail anyways... I don't care much what it turns out to be."
In the silence following, filled up with only the soft scraping of quill on paper, Audrey stole a glance at the limp strip of fur she had been gripping before letting out a quiet and exacerbated sigh. Just after she made the movement to stow the plague in her pocket, Sage spoke up once again. This time however, her question could be returned with a rather proud answer ( which could hopefully make up for the embarrassment of addressing an object as a 'he'...).
"Yes," she replied, curt and confident. She had turned back to face the woman sitting at the table, expression resolute once more. "I can do both, and rather well I'd say."
After that, another question quickly reached her ears. Once again, there was a swift answer.
" Yes," another stern retort as the girl brushed several loose hairs back behind her ear, pausing, then following up," Though I plan to work for it as much as possible! I refuse to just be another damned freeloader. "
The final inquiry finally passed through the woman's lips, and this time the girl was not as quick to respond. However, this was not due to uncertainty nor hesitation. Pulling up her hands to they could rest on her hips, she raised a brow, then lowered them once more. Looking to Sage with a determined focus, she answered.
"Well, yes. I just told you it's my responsibility didn't I? You don't need to ask again."
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Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:37 am
Audrey stuttered, retreated to the defensive. Lady Estratus' expression soured only subtly at her words as she continued her writing. It didn't alter her pace and she sounded off the questions, which Audrey responded to well... until the last. The girl seemed to have a problem with authority. Sage's gaze lifted from the page, amber eyes boring into green hazel rings. With a deep breath, she leaned back and laced her fingers together upon the table.
"Ms. Hatch, the Fellowship is not a charity service. You can rest assured you will be put to work if you are to be staying here. Since you are quite eager, I can confirm it will be hard work." Lady Estratus held eye contact with an equal amount of determination as Audrey boasted. "Being able to read and write is a good asset, as many of our members coming to us in similar situations as you are or were previously unable to do so. You'll be of use, in one way or another."
Her hands slipped away from one another, resting beside the paper. She scooped the quill up once more and tabbed neatly at the ink container before making a small, quick note. "I asked again," Lady Estratus spoke without looking up, "because I feel the need to stress its importance. To be perfectly frank, I have no reason to trust you or your word. If you prefer, I can simply judge your adequacy in silence." The quill was returned to its holder, the ink capped, and the parchment shifted to the side so it could dry. Lady Estratus pushed back from her seat and stood once more, holding her arms behind her back as she stood tall and dignified. "If you truly believe the plague is your responsibility to the full extent of what that entails, then I highly recommend you start caring what it turns out as. It matters quite a lot, in point of fact."
At this, she approached Audrey and stepped past her toward the door. With a single twist of the knob, it pulled open easily and Lady Estratus moved to its side. "Come, I'll show you where you'll be boarding and familiarize you with our more important rooms."
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Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:30 pm
Audrey stood silently, listening with furrowed brows and pressed lips as the woman listed off each biting reply. After each comment the orphan would fidget, and inhale a bit as though she was going to slip in a word in her defense, but each time was quickly cut off. The girl would then let out a bitter exhale and sink back into her shoulders as Sage continued. Each comment and explanation did a good job of leaving the grimm feeling both embarrassed and insulted. Audrey knew very well that she had been a bit too bold with her answers, and far to defensive about the mentioning of Peder's potential growth, and so though her frustration was quickly growing she remained quiet.
It was not until Lady Estratus stood, and glided past the girl to the doors that Audrey decided to finally speak. In the brief moment she gave herself to actually think before speaking, she considered giving a strong retort, or perhaps even an apology instead. Neither however made it past her lips, and instead she opted to simply give the woman a tired but respectful nod.
"Alright," was the only verbal response, it did not sound soft nor defeated, however the girl did move to follow regardless of the redness in her cheeks and her tight frown.
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Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 2:24 pm
Before departing, the Fellowship Adviser gave one last glance to the table they had left. Without a frown or show of inconvenience, she doubled back and collected both of their bowls. Approaching the door and Audrey once more, she nodded for the girl to exit the room and when Lady Estratus did herself she pulled the door shut with the tip of her boot since both hands were occupied.
Her strides were long and calm, the footfalls of boots against stone rhythmic and familiar with the area. The Northern Bases were a very old Fellowship stronghold and it showed; their interiors were constructed of stone and timber, sparsely decorated compared to most castles in Shyregoed, let alone any structure with Fellowship influence. The building was extremely utilitarian, which contrasted greatly with the Fellowship's penchant for the grandiose. Though it was extremely large, each room served a purpose that was productive in some way. Lady Estratus mentioned this, though she did not go into detail about the origins of the castles that comprised the Bases -- it was clear Audrey Hatch would have little interest in such a topic and Sage herself found no merit in giving her a history lesson.
After one set of stairs, they passed by a room with its door open, heat seeping out into the hallway and offering relief from the frigid outdoors. Lady Estratus poked her head in for a moment and handed the bowls off to one of the workers. "Thank you, it was much appreciated." Her voice was calm and even, though the older man she gave them too seemed a bit surprised and nervous. He stuttered his own thanks, addressing her strictly as Adviser, and bowed his head before returning to his duties.
From there, Lady Estratus walked beside Audrey with her hands clasped neatly behind her back. Each room and hall they passed through was given a quick name and explanation. The ground floor was shown first, which included the kitchens, store rooms, and the bailey. The bailey itself, Sage explained, was used for training -- both magic and battle -- and was where many mages and guards could be found during the day. Latrines, of course, were scattered throughout though the Adviser chose well not to linger on them outside of necessity. The first floor above was home to the great hall, used especially for political gatherings and meals while otherwise left ignored, a spattering of smaller dining halls which were more private and useful as mess halls by soldiers in the past. It was of note that these walls were missing some of the more iconic features of royal castles, such as a throne room, or that these extraneous locales had been entirely repurposed for more practical use. The second floor had its own chapel and accompanying oratory but otherwise was a place of arms which both military and magical armaments and the infirmary. The rest of the castle was mostly comprised of accommodations for those dwelling there and one of those rooms nestled on the third floor had recently been vacated.
"This one is yours," Lady Estratus announced, opening the door and standing to the side so Audrey could enter and inspect. It was largely the same as any other provided room in the base; a plain and simple bed, a window, a wooden dresser and cabinet, bedside table, and a wardrobe. The walls had a single small purple tapestry with the golden eye sigil of their faction but otherwise it held no decoration and looked as though it hadn't been lived in at all due to its tidiness.
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Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 10:01 pm
Audrey had followed behind the Adviser closely and quietly throughout the entire tour. She did not seem particularly interested, though before long she at least was not brooding or pouting over their earlier conversation. The girl would simply give a response of 'yeah's and 'alright's accompanied by nods when the Lady would look to her for confirmation that what information she was offering was actually reaching her.
It wasn't until they had reached Audrey's 'room' that her interest seemed to pique.
When Lady Estratus pushed open the door and invited her to enter, the urchin hesitated briefly before finally taking a step ahead. She paced in, then stopped in the center of the small place, staring forward to the window. Her gaze wandered around, head turning and tilting to inspect each wall of the space before she slowly turned back to face the threshold she had entered from. Her expression was not amazed and it was not disappointed, but instead she looked toward Sage with the slightest bit of apprehension.
"So you said.... this is mine," she questioned, motioning to the rest of the room behind her with the wave of a hand, before letting it drop back to her side." I can actually stay here? At the Fellowship? It's alright?"
Her tone seemed more skeptical than astonished, but there was a distinct glimmer of hope that seemed to attach itself to her words; despite her knit brows and obvious uncertainty.
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 11:12 am
Adviser Estratus watched calmly as Audrey entered her new quarters. Her arms crossed gently and she shifted her weight to lean slightly against the door frame with a shoulder. The Hatch girl's skepticism merely caused one of Lady Estratus' brows to raise. Her arms dropped back to her sides and she resumed a more professional air without breaking eye contact.
"The Fellowship does not extend offers it has no intention of honoring." Lady Estratus paused here, assessing the girl's reaction. She made a gesture of one hand toward the room as well, as if presenting it to her more formally. "You may stay."
There were still some matters to attend but nothing that required immediate clarification. The Adviser's eyes scanned over the girl, further assessing her appearance and body language. Her clothing was in extremely poor condition, her hair a mass of tied tangles, and in her current state Lady Estratus gave pause to wonder how she had come to the doors of the North Base with what seemed to be little protection from the elements. "Your work begins tomorrow," she warned, "For now, you may rest. Familiarize yourself with these halls, introduce yourself to its people."
Lady Estratus turned, beginning to step away from the door which she left the decision of closing to Audrey. Her gaze lingered, a final nod being given before she turned her back on her. The girl was young, most certainly restless, and had only a meager respect for authority. No one would hold Audrey's hand during her time here, and perhaps that was how she preferred it, but they would be there to set her back on her feet when she fell.
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