tunein | 05 ❥

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05 ❥

【the ❝CALL ME OUT❞ meme】
a roleplay meme to inspire muses.

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[The few guards with her busy themselves with encouraging the stalling members of the audience to leave, or to talk to those of the city guard protecting the entrances, leaving Driselle to what she does best.] Not at all. [She smiles, shaking her head.] They did need to be dealt with. I was just on my way to thank you for protecting Sharilton - thank you for lending us your aid, sir.

[That gets Ike to smile. It's not often he gets gratitude like that from a noble, especially in person like she was doing.]

Not at all. I'm simply glad I could help. I may be a mercenary, but I'd never abandon people who need aid just because I usually work for coin.

I am glad to hear it. I feared the worst, once I heard the news of the attack... but I am pleased to see that you are unharmed. [A thought occurs to her.] You must come to the manor, so I may thank you properly. I insist! [She doesn't have much in the way of money to offer him (most of it is still tied up in the recent war or in Sharilton or in the household, most of it she never sees) but she can show hospitality.]

[Wow, she didn't even give Ike the chance to protest. Ah, well, maybe it would be all right.

...Especially if food was involved.]

You're quite quick to insist, aren't you? All right, I suppose it'd only be right at this point to accept. I am in your care.

[There will be food! ... of the tea party variety. Though she'll quickly reassess that decision once they get back. He's the guest, afterall.]

Of course! It's the least I can do. [But she nods, smiling.] I am Driselle. [She won't insist on titles, she never has.] I'll lead the way. Let us go.

[Good. A growing man needs his meat.]

And my name's Ike. I'll be right beside you.

Thank you again, Ike.

[And she begins to walk back towards the mansion. It's not a terribly long treck; just through the edges of the city, past the inn once again, until coming to a square of a sort, one way leading off out of town, another to the military barracks. Their destination is obvious, though - the parade of guards and towering manor will see to that.]

Here we are.

[She opens the door for herself to invite him inside, to the main foyer.]

Please make yourself at home.

[Ike takes in the surroundings once he's on the grounds. When the door opens, he steps into the foyer, continuing to look around. The manor doesn't compare to those of any of the rulers he personally knows back home in Tellius, but it's still got plenty for him to take in.]

...Well. Consider me impressed -- doubly so since you didn't refer to yourself by your rank first.

[She makes her way to the edge of the foyer, to two decorated sofas with a table inbetween. She sits herself down on one and signals for the guards to disperse, and asks Rowan if he'll bring them tea.]

Thank you. [But she shakes her head to the latter part.] It is only a title. I may be the leader of Sharilton, the one people look up to, but my actions speak louder than a rank ever does.

[Something she stands by, particularly as this is a role she wasn't groomed for. This was Cline's destiny, but he had that robbed from him. And she'll do all she can in his stead.]

[Ike sits down on the other sofa. He doesn't lift his cape, so he ends up sitting on top of it.]

The more I hear you speak, the rarer a person you become. I've met precious few nobles who take that kind of attitude, and it's refreshing to see it.

Thank you. [She smiles softly, though it seems tinged with regret.] I know it's an uncommon thing to think, so I've been told. But I would not change the way I am. All I can do, I will.

[Speaking of which, Rowen returns with a tray, which Driselle takes from him and picks up her teacup followed by a moderate slice of cake, followed by placing Ike's on the table.]

Is there anything else you'd like? I should have asked before. I'm overly fond of tea parties. I've been told that, as well. [But she seems good natured about it.]

[Cake. Sweets. Ike wasn't a fan of sweets. He'd try to eat it out of courtesy, though. For now, he'll just look at it before taking his tea and adding some cream to it.]

Oh, um. How about some sandwiches? I could go for a good turkey sandwich or two right about now.

Of course. [She nodded.] Rowen? Could you? And some for Elly, too. She'll undoubtedly be back from school soon.

[Rowen bows his head with a 'right away, Lady Driselle', and shuffles off back to the kitchen, Driselle smiling and calling out her thanks as he goes.]

It shouldn't be too long, Ike.

[She makes for her own tea, giving it a sip.]

No rush. It's not like I have anywhere else to go. I'm just a drifter, after all.

[Of course, most drifters couldn't singlehandedly handle hordes of monsters the way he did. In the meantime, he sips his tea. After appearing to be satisfied with it, he sips it again.]

[True enough, but she hasn't seen any other evidence of him being anything but a fighter, so in that sense, she's unsurprised.

But, more importantly...]

A drifter... does that mean you've travelled to many places?

Quite a few, yeah. I've been wandering for the past few years now. I decided I wanted to leave and explore before I decide to settle down somewhere.

Goodness. [Her eyes widen at the prospect.] That sounds quite exciting. I've often wondered what it would be like to travel to many places, to see the sea. Even though it would only be a few days ride from here, it's nothing I've been able to do before. Maybe someday. [There's a hint of wistfulness and resignment. It's unlikely she will... she has to look after Sharilton, and she can't do that travelling the world. She loves Sharilton with all her heart, loves what she does, don't get her wrong; but when Elize and Rowen tell you of adventures to far off places you can't help but want to see them too.]

What kind of things did you see?

[And there was one of the reasons why Ike loathed being a noble. The perks were nice, but ultimately, the confinement and the stuffiness just wasn't worth it for him. He placed much greater value on his freedom than his level of comfort.

Anyway, it was beginning to look more and more like he would be staying in Sharilton for a while. Maybe he'd have to make it happen himself.]

All sorts. If you can imagine something, I've probably seen it. I've been just about everywhere there was to go in my homeland, and now that I'm done there, I've been exploring this land as much as I can, too.

But if you want specifics, you'd better say what. Because I'm not actually sure where to start.

There's a lot of things I could, if I put my mind to it. [She looks lost in thought for a moment, certainly trying to think of something outlandish, but she can't. No, it's just little things that come to mind, and those are likely things to see, as many others already have before him, she'd wager.

Specifics, though... hmm.]

How about your home country, then? What's that like compared to Sharilton?

[Sharilton is a part of Rashugal, but is considered something of a dependant state allied with it. Though it helps both Rashugal and Auj Oule are reunited now.]

[Ike closes his eyes for a moment. He wants to envision it first before he gets talking.]

It wasn't where I was born, or where my parents were from. But Crimea is the only kingdom I would ever consider home. I've never been to a country that loved peace more.

[Goldoa doesn't count. Isolationism is not a love of peace as far as Ike is concerned.]

Crimea is mostly farmland. The only mountains are at its southern border, so there's a huge focus on working the land. The coastline has no cliffs, so it's perfect for sea trade and fishing. And the capital, Melior, takes pride in its library, and gets scholars from every part of the continent.

It also prides itself on keeping the people safe. Closer to the capital and the other major cities you'll find the streets and highways kept safe by the Royal Knights, but they can't be everywhere. So the royal family encourages people to form mercenary companies to sell their services to the local townsfolk. If a town had a bandit problem, or pirates for ports, they'd hire us to drive them out.

[Driselle isn't one to interrupt whilst someone else is talking, though questions and thoughts bubble up, wanting to be said - which can be concluded with a though of liking to see it herself. The library certainly sounds assimilar to the one in Orda Palace, in Fenmont... so she's heard, anyway.]

That sounds wonderful. Working the land, the sea ports, and the library, I mean. I must admit that I have wondered about those things. Perhaps not in far away countries or continents, though... I must seem incredibly unusual to you, to have stayed in one place her whole life. [Not that she says it in a bad way, or that he'd think ill of her; just an honest musing.]

Defending the capital sounds very much like any of the roads leading between cities here in Rieze Maxia. Sometimes, it's hard for the sellers to make it between ports and Sharilton, and vice versa. I can do my best to smooth things over, but sometimes that's not always possible.

Unusual? Not at all.

[As if to emphasize it, he shakes his head.]

I wasn't born in Crimea, but it's the only home I can remember. I never left the kingdom until a few years ago -- and that was for a job for someone who'd never even left her property until that time.

[That was certainly something he'd never forget. The anticipation of traveling to a new destination with a princess he never even knew existed.]

Really? The road was quiet when I traveled here. Maybe I should stick around for a little while longer than I'd planned to see if I can do anything.

[Rowen takes this moment to return with a tray of sandwiches - it seems he's either sorted this himself or had some say in it, as Driselle's plate is much smaller, and the sandwiches quartered, whereas Ike's is larger.

Fancy plates and fancy food have a time and a place but one must never come between a man and his food. Or something like that.

Driselle smiles as he places the tray on the table between them and then busies himself in the surrounding area.]

Hmm. I suppose it is never too late to do something, unless we tell ourselves that it is.

It's been quiet, as of late, but there will always be the monsters. Some are more menacing than others. And I would certainly appreciate it if you did, Ike.

[Without any hesitation, Ike reaches out and grabs half of a sandwich, taking a big bite out of it.]

Mm!

[Clearly he's pleased with it. He chews for a moment, then swallows.]

Yeah, I've got no plans. Might as well stick around and see what can be done. It wouldn't be good for my skills to rust over, would it?

[Chomp. Another bite from the sandwich.]

No, not at all. I would like to see it myself, some time. Though from a distance may be best.

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blue_flames - 2013-11-26 03:53 (UTC) - Expand

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