Ongoing Log: A Teatime Talk

[nightsveilqueen]

Who: Chrodechild and Mathiu (silver_mathiu)
What: Tea in the afternoon
Where: A quiet corner somewhere
When: After Mathiu's RequestWhy: To learn about each others' cultures

Comments

[silver_mathiu]

The infirmary was blissfully quiet and Mathiu had been looking forward to his appointment with Chrodechild. Coming out from his quarters off to the side of the clinic, Mathiu ducked his head in respect. "What sort of tea do you prefer, Lady Chrodechild?"

[nightsveilqueen]

She smiled. "I'm not too particular. Perhaps a green or red tea, if you have it. Thanks again for the invitation."

As she waited, she attempted a bit of small talk, something she was not always comfortable making. "Have you always been the medic at Budehuc?"

[silver_mathiu]

"This is a green tea brew that I created to help boost the immune system in the winter time," he said, pouring hot water over the leaves. "I hope it's to your liking."

"As long as I've been here, yes," he answered before turning back around and bringing the tea tray with him. "And what did you do at your home? I'd say your outfit reminds me of the Queen's knights, but you said you were from somewhere else."

[nightsveilqueen]

She didn't take her cup yet, waiting for the tea to steep.

"I am from the nation of Astrasia, which is on another world, to tell the truth. I don't talk about it much here, as I prefer a little... anonymity, I guess, here, but at home I am its Queen.

"But the uniform I am wearing is that of the Blades of Night's Veil... indeed, the elite group of swordsmen charged with protecting the Royal Family and the capital city. So a bit in common with the Queen's Knights, yes, as I understand them. But in Astrasia, the monarch is expected to be every bit as good as the nation's best swordsman. I had been training with the Blades of Night's Veil the day I ended up being... swallowed by the Gateway. Fortunately, for me, as I'd rather be stuck in a foreign world armed and armored."

[silver_mathiu]

He waited for his tea to steep, and when he was content with the color, removed the sachet.

"I see," he answered. "I'm fascinated by the talk of these gateways. I've lived here a long time--and in Scarlet Moon before that--and I never once heard of them."

Taking a moment, he closed his eyes considering her mention of being royalty. "So you are from a nation that greatly values it's warriors? Do you keep your identity hidden for your safety or for the safety of your people?"

[nightsveilqueen]

"I'll share with you my theories on Gateways and this world later, if you like. But first things first," she said, now taking her teacup and sipping at it, nodding to him appreciatively of the brew.

"We value swordsmanship, not just as a tool of war, but as an art of athleticism. The art of swordmaking is also highly valued as the pinnacle of metalworking." She smiled ever so slightly. "But I must admit that is my people trying to make the best of what started as a bloody tradition, I'm sure. As to your second question..." She shook her head. "I don't really know why I avoid discussing it. If it's relevant I mention it, but... saying you're the queen of a nation no one's ever heard of, let alone has any sort of political or economic influence, isn't really bound to get you very far, is it? I have no... I have no value here as a queen. As a swordswoman, I might."

[silver_mathiu]

[ooc: back from hiatus! thanks for waiting for me ♥]

He nodded, listening intently to her explanation of swordsmanship and smithing in her culture. "Some may not have heard of Falena, but Queen Arshtat still uses her title." His statement was plain, an observation. "But if you prefer to be known as a woman first and a ruler second, I can understand that. Sometimes people let their roles define them too much. Sometimes, they just need to step back and just live." He smiled quietly to himself at that, as if he knew the feeling all too well.

[nightsveilqueen]

((ooc: no prob. ^_^ I had a laborious Labor Day myself.))

She smiled softly, and perhaps a little sadly. "You sound a little like my sister." She blinked, seeming to unsummon the expression from her face. "As for Falena in particular, everyone seems to talk about it, so she does carry some gravitas with the title, but I still understand what you mean. Particularly since I gather she is not, due to the strange magic of this place, the current queen of Falena."

She paused, musing. "I find it quite interesting, though, to see a ruler who herself seems to not be a warrior. Even the other nearby kingdoms where I live have either warriors or mages for rulers, if not both." She mused. "I had been thinking... at home, about finding a way to commemorate our victory over the One King. I'd considered a contest of games, including testing warrior skills. I wonder if that would be for the best, however."

[silver_mathiu]

"Who is your sister?" Mathiu asked before responding to the rest of her statement.

[nightsveilqueen]

"Her name is Fredegund. She's two years younger than I am, though I often feel as though we are twins." She stirred her tea, staring at its contents a little too intently, a wistful softness to her eyes; she missed Fredegund very much. "She... well, her story is her own to tell, but she had her own trials to face in terms of identity... and I think all the more appreciates 'being her own woman' as a result."