Relma was a completely different person this time around. Out of her work clothes, the fiery blonde blossomed into a rare orchid on the training grounds' soft, dusty turf. She was practicing parrying with some other recruit, no doubt taking her pent up frustrations over late-night dishes, momentary hearing loss courtesy of little Amale, that special tingle of hatred which bolted her spine straight whenever the rowdier gorons pinched her booty out on the poor guy's forearms at the moment Ambiance arrived. Fortunately, Relma did recognise her.
"Yo~" She called, letting her partner breathe for a moment.
"OY," answered a guard, walking up to intercept. "Don't break rhythm! I'll have you--" Suddenly he stopped, seeing Ambiance. "... I assume this is James' doing?" He sighed. "Go on then. But make it quick! We don't have any time to waste, and Relma here has talent." Fading footsteps, finally.
Quotes
Rihenian
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 1:48 am
Ambiance~ Aura of Peace
Oh, if only I could have been there I'd be a hand for the sinking
Ambiance bowed apologetically to the instructor, having no answer for him once he seemed to recognize that it had been the commander that had sent her out and... in one of the possible directions. She knew she had a timeline to meet also, so it was in both of their best interests if she kept the meeting fairly short. Regardless of how rebellious she might have wanted to feel, she didn't feel any desire to make the day and approaching evening more difficult for any of them.
"It looks like you're doing well, Relma." Ambiance complimented the woman honestly. She had only seen part of the practice as she approached, but anyone could recognize confidence that fueled power. She greeted the woman, and her friend, and she tried to hide her own feelings. This was not an easy thing for Ambiance to do. "How are you holding up?"
I wish I could protect you here Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
Relma looked like she didn't want to say what she felt. A hollow breeze blew through the two of them.
"It's alright, I guess," she said finally. "You know nobody wants to be here." She gave Ambiance a once-over. "But you don't seem to be struggling much. What's going on?" For a split second the bar owner dropped her facade of being in control. Of course, she would never admit this to anyone.
Quotes
Rihenian
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 4:31 pm
Ambiance~ Aura of Peace
Oh, if only I could have been there I'd be a hand for the sinking
Ambiance suspected something of this nature, but she couldn't find the courage to speak of it in the presence of titled and privaleged men. They had so few reasons to listen to her already, and at present, it was hard to shake the foreboding feeling of being used.
None of Relma's team were really here by choice... and Ambiance felt that this was true for most of the people here at the camps. Were there so few who would willingly volunteer? Had that already been tried..? Ambiance easily wracked her brain but struggled to understand or to find alternatives.
The silence before the answer told Ambiance a lot. Though, comparatively, Ambiance looked like she got away from toil... it probably didn't set a good precedence. But it also seemed to subconsciously separate her from everyone else.
"I don't have physical or magical skill, so they thought I'd be better suited for tactics and strategy..." Ambiance swallowed and bit her lip. "They also want to know where Link is... Have you seen him? "
I wish I could protect you here Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
And here another pause. This one seemed deeper than the first; that was just complaining, this was a friend in distress. Relma didn't look happy at all to say what she needed to, but she knew that with Ambiance's apparent clearance she could get to Link. Any of them able to do so would have already been consoling the Hero, but right now this was their best bet. She spat.
"I was afraid you'd be after him. He's been moping around the hills outside town ever since yesterday afternoon. Apparently he and that Gerudo guy got into it pretty fierce. Said it was just a 'friendly match' to 'test the Hero's skill' or whatever." A sigh, shoulders falling just a bit. "I swear, dudes... They always gotta be the toughest. If they lose a fight they spend half the time they should be training to pound the other guy into dust just moping about, wishing they were stronger."
"That's enough!" The guards were watching. Apparently the little break Ambiance had bought Relma was over.
"... Hey, kid," said the warrior bartender turning around one last time. "Make sure you bring him back... Just not here."
"Back to work!"
Quotes
Rihenian
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 9:18 pm
Ambiance~ Aura of Peace
Oh, if only I could have been there I'd be a hand for the sinking
Ambiance nodded as she absorbed the information that Relma gave her. She wasn't sure how to translate the spit, but at present she took it to mean frustration or the side effect of a serious workout. From the sound of it, Link needed encouraging, though whether or not he belonged here on the field seemed to be in question still. As Hero, he shouldn't be reduced to following the orders of a general. Perhaps from a general's perspective, the Hero was an indispensable soldier, or even just another blade, even the one could make all the difference if it was one more your enemy didn't have...
But he was still Link. He was a young man with energy and vigor, with hopes and with his fears, who still took things to heart. He was young, yet, and it was a feeling Ambiance herself sympathized with. She didn't want to turn the hero over to the soldiers and the army. He couldn't do what he needed to if he was expected to only obey the words of men.
Though, Ambiance found herself wondering... Gerudo guy? The commander had jokingly said that the king was the only male Gerudo... was that true? Ambiance couldn't claim any knowledge of the Gerudians, the people, or the culture. It seemed like a strange idea, even if it was true. Had he said more to Link? Had the words upset him or the fight and losing, as Relma had suggested?
Ambiance couldn't bring words to answer Relma. Instead, she nodded simply and thus made a promise. She would strive to do all in her power to brink back their Link, to the cheerful and optimistic powerhouse that he was... Not to be the servant of the crown. While he would protect this country, its people, and those around him... he would not be degraded from that position or his duty as Hero. Ambiance knew better than to fight the goddesses' will.
Knowing about where to find him, Ambiance designed to keep this knowledge in mind as she returned to the tent where her studies would continue. They wanted a strategist and tactician. She hoped not to disappoint, though she still wondered if this was the reason the goddesses had transported her to Hyrule.
I wish I could protect you here Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
James was just getting back. He was a little later than would be expected. Some of the men noticed him come in and chatted for a bit, but for the most part it was as casual as any living room. Out on the table there was a topographical map of the surrounding area: hills, lakes, passes reported to have Stal infestations and not.
"You don't have to worry much about them during the day," the trench specialist was explaining as James joined them. "If any of the infantrymen get a 'spooky feeling' from being in this valley," he tapped, "bring them back immediately for re-evaluation." It was about here that the Commander spoke up.
"Good evening, Miss Yuna," he started while having a seat. "Any luck finding our green adventurer?"
Oh, if only I could have been there I'd be a hand for the sinking
Once at the tent, she was a bit surprised to find that she had only barely beat the commander back to the tent. Where had he gone to? It wasn't any of her business, really, and she didn't quite have the gumption or rapport to ask quite yet. When asked about whether she had luck finding Link, her answer was simple because it was honest.
"I haven't found him yet." She admitted apologetically. She hadn't had time to pursue her lead. Perhaps she would have the time to find him later. She did hope to be able to find him when she did fin the time.
She let her arms rest across the table, leaning on them just enough to be comfortable. She wasn't quite sure what the group was talking about as she had only recently gotten here herself. However, there were maps involved, and from what she could tell of the discussion, they were talking about the troops they were currently training.
I wish I could protect you here Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
(lol Sorry~ Guess I should've been more clear about that.)
Then there was an uncomfortable silence. None of the men even whispered to each other, as was normal when a lull came about; mostly it was a brief aside on how to best instruct Ambiance in the lay of the land and whatever else she needn't to know in order to lead troops. Finally James spoke up.
"... And why not?" He asked with an expectant look. "If you be so good," he elaborated, "please go find him now. Better for us to have our Hero in tow now before you continue in your lessons. We'll draw up some strategies for you to study when you get back." Clearly they were worried. Not having the Hero meant a drop in moral. James wouldn't admit it, except for after Ambiance had left.
"That idiot can move more men without so much as a sigh's worth of effort, and it needn't even be directed at the task! I'll never understand these worms. Moving to the beat of some sappy story written too long ago to be of use."
Oh, if only I could have been there I'd be a hand for the sinking
Ambiance felt the silence and the tension that hung in the air. If they expected more of an answer, she did hesitate to give it. Though, if asked, she might have questioned whether punctuality or the assignment had greater importance, as she was led to believe that she was supposed to return to the tent for her studies.
This did not seem to be the case. So, she stood, and excused herself. She held her tongue for now, as that did seem the safest and best thing to do, especially now that he had given her direction to go and find him. She made specific note of the phrasing as she moved her jacket from her waist and slipped it over her shoulders. As the day moved out of the searing heat of the mid-day, it began to cool, and the process chilled her.
She heard some words on exiting the tent but she wasn't close enough to pick up specific words. There was frustration. She felt her heart go a few degrees colder as she turned her attention to where Relma told her to go. She would begin her search in the hills outside of town...
It was a bit of a walk, but she would make it. It also gave her all the time she needed. Perhaps it would also give her some time to think.
I wish I could protect you here Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
(Ooc: All good. Sometimes that happens in command, so it still fits the roleplay fairly well. Although, this does tend to lend a bit toward tension between Ambiance and the collective leadership. No worries! Should I find another area to post in, or should we continue here?)
It was a productive day for the Hero of Legend. Killing Stal, brooding, looking at dirt and watching it flow through his fingers. He did it all! Rest assured he was practicing--a little--but it didn't seem to matter much in his mind. Out there on that hill, the top of which could not be seen from camp, Link poured and recycled that footage into his brain again and again and...
No matter how many times he'd done it it always came out the same: Ganondorf standing over him with that telltale smirk. He reapplied what he learned in defeating the undead which sprung from the ground around him as quickly as hope; and they, like hope were cut down, and Link followed the same pattern. This was the way of the warrior they don't tell you when you sign in at the personnel desk.
His back was to the entrance, himself transfixed on the land below.
Quotes:
Rihenian
Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 11:57 pm
Ambiance~ Aura of Peace
Oh, if only I could have been there I'd be a hand for the sinking
After a bit of searching, she found the green hero. That he was alone like this wasn't something she worried about. However, she would admit that she hadn't been expecting him really to be moping. Yes, Relma had told her of this, , and she had ample warning, but for some reason, it didn't seem to be in the hero's character to mope... but then, she felt as though she had missed something altogether. Perhaps it had been something that the hero alone had to face. She approached cautiously, seeing that he stared to the distance, and without saying much, she sat down beside him.
Her legs folded underneath herself, her elbows were braced on her knees, and she leaned forward to look into whatever distance Link was looking at. "Hey."
I wish I could protect you here Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
The Hero didn't turn his head, not at first. He was looking out at the camp. A couple troops were being led on a night-march out to the rocky passes near the site.
Link looked like a soldier too, fighting his own war internally: was he the Hero? Could he protect anyone? Did he even want to? Suffice to say "I didn't sign up for this" was a decent way to describe the thoughts. He finally looked over. Maybe she could help?
They went on for a while, talking. Link told Ambiance what had happened, shared he doubts: a rare moment of weakness from the man who was supposed to be made of iron. But really, this had never been seen. Ask his friends; there was never any real evidence of Link being some kind of stoic, square-jawed hero--because, let's face it, those types of images, like a perfect triangle, were impossible to produce in reality.
She was there too, wasn't she? Link had forgotten. He was too focused on what Ganondorf had said. He wasn't good enough. That's all he could think.
Quotes:
Rihenian
Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 6:19 pm
Ambiance~ Aura of Peace
Oh, if only I could have been there I'd be a hand for the sinking
Ambiance offered an open ear and listened on without judging word as Link expressed and as he spoke. He had faced and seen Ganondorf. The experience, but mostly the words, had thrown the young hyrulian off of his normal energetic 'Can Do' confidence. Yet, he was still a young man, as prone to thinking, as prone to the realities of doubt and fear. Destiny had great plans, but now that Ambiance was here and watching a hero and listening to his worries, it struck her that event the most extraordinary person could not be thrown into greatness. Everything was a learning process. Even the hero needed to gain strength and experience, something that required time. It was selfish of anyone to expect otherwise.
She expressed her thoughts in short questions now and again. Ganondorf had years longer to practice and become stronger. Link now knew what kind of an individual that the Gerduldian king was. There was a face, a mannerism, a figure that had thrown Link off guard. But, an advantage that Link had that perhaps Ganondorf no longer had was that Link was young. He could grow stronger, and do so quickly, whereas Ganondorf couldn't adapt as quickly. Besides, no story she ever read ever told the start of the hero's story.
"But... I'll admit that he confuses me." Ambiance knit her face together. Why would a king go out of his way to taunt or torment Link, or to pick a fight in the first place? Did he come here for peace or did he want war? "Maybe he's not what he's supposed to be either...."
She considered that and slowly smiled. She leaned her shoulder into Link's shoulder at a new thought. "Maybe he's scared of you."
I wish I could protect you here Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
Finally Link gave up a smile and a soft chuckle as Ambiance leaned into him, wobbling a little, looking away a little, blushing a little? Sure enough, confidence was beginning to return to the boy in green. He didn't quite understand what she meant, though, about Ganondorf being afraid of him; certainly wasn't what he saw in the square earlier, but suffice to say Link was no expert in these things.
In any event, it was working. Link agreed, and, more importantly, was now fully possessed by the idea that he had to become stronger--that he would get stronger--in order to fulfill his role as Hero... But did that mean he would be fighting Ganondorf? He couldn't say. Neither could, but it was plain to see Link now had a rival, and that was good enough for now. Suddenly Link was hugging Ambiance; just as quickly they were starting down the hill back to camp.
{Timeskip}
A couple days passed. Link had begun to train furiously with the others, but was quickly set aside to train with the more experienced men. The infantrymen were doing well--as well as they could for being regular Joes--and the mages were starting to practice. "Not a worthless lot after all," commented the commander blankly, with that pithy way he had. "Perhaps we'll have a shot after--" Darkness. It moved over them like sliding furniture in a sea storm. They were briefed on what to do now, but that didn't mean they were ready. They were coming. The Shadows. Howling and the rumbling of a stampede came next. They only had a moment to get ready for the fight of their lives.
