Private Tales Problems to Solve

[Djana Mahin]

Djana did not answer, she simply stared for a second and then cleared her throat.

"It is like a signature." Best to explain it in context. "The Northern Realms move one way, the Anirians another, and those of Elbion again differently."

Her tongue clicked. "It matters to these people."

Of course, Djana herself was not a noble. She would not tell that to these Templar, not ever, but she was of the sands. Born in lands forgotten by civilization and plucked out by the Great Lord. Her people had no nobility, only warlords who pulled themselves from the mire.

Not that the difference mattered much.

 

[Anastasia]

At the woman's agitation, Ana nodded. "Very well. I'll keep that in mind," she amended, voice soft. The longer Djana worked with her, the more Ana's strange briskness broke down. She gave Djana a small smile, trying to appease her after all the help she had given for the day.

"So how did you come about learning about that girl?" She moved onto small talk, trying not to focus on how pinched her toes were in the shoes.

 

[Djana Mahin]

"The girl is only one of many." Djana explained. "Rather, she is one that came back."

She had of course stated this before, at the beginning of this whole encounter. "Others have been disappearing from the surrounding villages, she is simply the one that made it back to her Uncle's farm."

The only one she had heard of. Perhaps Niall was killing the others, or perhaps he'd released this girl before he'd learned just how useful a Soulless could be.

"I heard of her through rumor." She explained. "Low whispers throughout the towns."

Partially true.

 

[Anastasia]

"Will the person that was whispering be at the ball?" Ana asked, her tone innocent as she tugged at the corset she had been placed in.

She made an uncomfortable noise, glancing at Leane for pity.

Leane looked none the less pleased. She had stopped walking to yank at the skirts around her legs. No doubt trying to see if she could hide a sword in there. Ana would actually like to see her try.

 

[Djana Mahin]

Djana blinked. "There will be more than a few whisperers there."

Gossip was of course the true trade of the nobles. Sure money and power were there, but the truth of it was that Gossip held the hearts of most men and women who claimed noble birth. They squabbled and talked about one another as much as peasant scullery maids.

It was one of the tools of her trade really, using the latest gossip to ensnare one lady or another. Silly, but effective in it's own way.

"One can learn quite a lot from listening." She stated plainly. "Most will offer information without even a prompt."

Something she'd learned early on. "Particularly when they think it will gain them power."

 

[Anastasia]

"Well that's good to know, but neither of us are that good at talking like that. Would rather be training or-" she huffed, trying to loosen the corset. "Stabbing something that deserved it."

Ana wasn't often put off by something, but the dress had her squirming and red in the cheeks. She wasn't a girly girl. Not truly. She felt ridiculous, like a stuffed doll. "This thing is making my stomach churn, does it have to be so tight?"

 

[Djana Mahin]

"Yes." Djana answered simply. "There are standards that must be kept."

She thought for a brief moment what these women must have endured to never even entertain the thought of going to a Ball. Their lives must have been as droll and boring as that of a farmer. Her lips thinned for a brief moment, but then she continued to speak as not to dwell on it. "You do not need to talk."

Djana assured Ana.

"Just listen." That was really key. "And ask the correct questions."

Leading ones. "Most of these nobles will talk just to talk."

 

[Anastasia]

Ana let out a shallow breath, resigned but accepting of her fate. "Very well."

Owin chose that moment to walk in, his eyes widening in shock as he barely recognized the two blondes before him.

Ana raised a finger, silencing him before his mouth could fully drop. "Not. A. Word."

A doofy smile broke out across his face, his amusement loud and clear. He gave a large bow, the grin not ending. "M'ladys."

"Owin!" She protested, unable to help a small laugh at the theatrics.

"What, I must practice!"

 

[Djana Mahin]

Djana tapped her lips. "Bow lower."

For her there was no humor in this, if only because she knew the consequence of failure. The Three Templar likely fought well, but even they wouldn't be able to handle the small army found in the Count's Castle.

Besides, she wasn't part of their little group.

Leane of course had a different reaction, staring daggers at Owin and glancing over to where her sword lay against the wall. For a brief moment it was obvious she considered stepping over to the blade and running it through the man's chest. Instead she picked up an unlit candle and threw it at the man.

"Now now." Djana admonished. "You must keep your behavior ladylike."

That earned her a hard stare from the Templar woman.

 

[Anastasia]

This earned breathless chortles from both Ana and Owin, the candle stick laying limply at his feet.

"Oh gods, Valerie would have just stormed away with her hands in the air there."

"Well we are lucky she had not."

The two sobered, realizing at once that they wished their friend was here. She was better suited to all of this intrigue. If she hadn't been so needed to help Saul at the castle, Ana might have just considered inviting her.

They were not so well off as they stood, all members of the party was seeing that now. Ana's gaze dropped in guilt.

Owin cleared his throat, silently trying the bow again and glancing up for approval from their coach.

 

[Djana Mahin]

Djana watched the boy for a moment, frowning, and then slowly nodding her head. She of course did not know the intricacies of the Templar relationships, but she was slowly learning.

That was almost as important as everything else. If she could turn one of them... "You will all do fine."

A little encouragement always helped. She had been strict since the start of all of this, but she had to remember to reinforce the good as much as correct the bad. Without it they would just become obstinate. Like a Princess learning the way of courtship, something she'd taught many times.

"Remember what I told you." She glanced at Owin. "Do not look anyone in the eyes."

An important fact of servants. "Most will ignore you as a matter of principal."

A common trait of Nobility.

"As for you two." She turned to the two women. "My servant has written up two sheets of history, study it, and be curt with your answers."

It would at least allow the two women to have a small background. Both of them would be from a kingdom North of Elbion, a city state smaller than Vel Anir and Alliria, but large enough to hold some wealth in trade. "Keep the focus on them, not yourselves."

 

[Anastasia]

Ana nodded slowly, committing the advice to memory. "Thank you. For your help in this. Do we need to stay in this all day or can we go study those papers you prepared for us?" Ana couldn't help but to refer to the woman as a superior in that moment-- asking for permission and seeking guidelines. She was training them. As they had done their whole life, they fell in rank.

 

[Djana Mahin]

For a moment she frowned in thought.

There was a temptation to be kind and free the women, even her own clothes were not so restricting. Before she could speak however Leane began to cross the room...and failed horribly. She half stumbled over her own heels, only barely catching herself on a countertop. "Stay in these clothes."

She told them, her expression blank.

"The Gala is tomorrow night, you need to appear at least used to what you're wearing." Briefly Djana wondered if that was even going to be possible in this situation. The women seemed about as uncomfortable as they could possibly get.

 

[Anastasia]

Ana grimaced, moving over to help Leane find her footing the woman's pride be damned. Own bore a similar expression as Ana, finding it very smart in that moment to say nothing on the incident all together.

"I have blue prints I need to go over," he offered, gesturing towards the study couches and chairs. At least they would not be in this alone?

Ana nodded gratefully, it no small secret that reading was a strenuous task for her. Memorization was none the better.

"Okay, thank you. We'll work on those before going back to walking." She squeezed Leane's arm, acting as if she needed the woman's support more than her friend needed hers.

 

[Djana Mahin]

She glanced at the Three Templar and then slowly nodded her head. "I will set to arranging a Coach."

They couldn't very well show up on horseback

Everything else was already prepared. She had the invitations, and entry to the castle would be a simple matter. The only thing that they would need would perhaps be some guards. A frown touched her lips for a moment.

She did not want to take her own, not when there was such risk. They would wait beyond the castle walls, if only because Niall would be able to sense their presence. Those who guarded her were directly touched by the Great Lord, it was best not to expose them to this.

"Study well." She told the three Templar.

 

[Anastasia]

They studied and they walked and they recited their stories. No amount of effort made the task seem easier to Ana, but by the end of the night she felt less like an impostor and more just blatantly uncomfortable.

In Leane's room Ana stood with her face to the wall, arms braced against the dresser as she begged for her friend to untie the laces faster. She sucked in a desperate breath when the corset released and slipped to the floor, a bead of sweat sliding down her forehead.

"Of all of the- and to think we could be utilizing these as methods to get information from people!"

 

[Djana Mahin]

"I am fairly sure Valerie does." Leane commented dryly, still more than clearly upset about the circumstances of their dress.

Pulling at the laces the Templar frowned for a moment.

Their mutual friend was known for her investigations into politics, meandering around the Merchants and doing her best to ingratiate herself with the upper crust.

"I don't know how she manages it." Leane admitted. "This is horrid."

She was not looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[Anastasia]

A dry laugh caught in Ana's throat. She wordlessly gestured for Leane to move to her place and give her her back. Ana's slim fingers moved quickly across Leane's back, releasing her from the corset. Ana caught it for her, grabbing her own and walking to the table to place them both down.

"I dunno. Part of me thinks she enjoys it. Courts. Politics. She's very good at it." And no doubt the reason that Saul's transition was remaining smooth and without any major hitches, Ana suspected.

 

[Djana Mahin]

Leane shrugged in response.

"No shame in that." That was true. They all had their place in the way of things.She didn't understand it of course, this was torture for her, but then again she didn't have to understand in order to it to be okay.

A frown touched her lips.

"Maybe if more of us were good at it they wouldn't hate us so much." A sigh escaped her. "Then again maybe they would hate us more."

Flopping back onto the bed the Templar sputtered her lips.

 

[Anastasia]

Ana found herself collapsing beside Leane in the woman's bed, both still in their chemises and neither caring to rip them off. They were more comfortable than anything else they had on, and Ana found herself utterly beat. She stifled a yawn, placing her arms behind her head.

"I... think as long as there is evil in the world, they will hate us. Hate us for not doing enough, or for making the hard decisions. They won't understand us," said the empathetic one of the group. "Never will. That's something Saul has yet to come to terms with."

 

[Djana Mahin]

Leane stayed quiet for a time, though a small incline of her head showed that she agreed with what Ana had said. She had long ago lost all hope towards the common folk.

She would save them of course, she would fight to save a village, rescue a young woman in need, but she knew that deep down they would always hate her. Perhaps that was a rather sad sentiment, but it was one she had accepted years ago. They just simply didn't understand.

Couldn't. "Things will be better."

Leane said quietly.

"The more Chapters come together, the more we'll be surrounded by people like us." That was what she believed. She knew that there would be difficulties, but Templar were Templar. They could, and would work together. No more working for approval, no more skirting the City Watch. No more having to cede responsibility to someone else.

 

[Anastasia]

That was a small, warm thought. One worth falling asleep to, as Ana seemed abruptly ready to do. Her eyelids fell heavily and her breathing turned deep and slow.

Being a fancy lady was strangely exhausting, she concluded, trying to fight against it for a moment. She turned on her side, looking at Leane "If only we can get there in time," she mused dryly. "...If things turn out worse off tomorrow, I will write for more men," she promised.

 

[Djana Mahin]

She nodded slowly. "If it must be."

Though in truth she wondered if they even had enough men to help here. From Lady Mahin's description this count had an entire army at his disposal. The idea of facing that down...well, the Templar weren't exactly a military force.

Yet, anyway.

If Saul had his way they would have an entire Legion in five years. Oddly enough, Leane was excited at the thought. Perhaps a small hint of her own personality showing through. She was after all the sword and shield Templar, a warrior to the very heart of her.

"Let's try our best tomorrow." She told Ana. "Perhaps we won't even need the help."

 

[Anastasia]

Perhaps...

Ana's eyes pulled close, barely a tilt of her chin managed before it was clear Leane would be sharing her room again tonight.

Exhausting.

Ana bore no excitement for the next day, her stomach churning at any attempt to get down a solid breakfast or lunch. This could all go so wrong. A single wrong step and they would be found out-- literally.

She paced in the main hallway, in part to practice moving in her clothes and in part to get out her stress. She had managed to get her daggers tucked into the folds of her dress but Leane was not so lucky.

"Couldn't Owin carry it?" Ana asked for her Leane, looking at Djana as she entered.

 

[Djana Mahin]

"Then I can't get to it." She said in frustration, attempting to stuff the sword down the back of her dress. The goosebumps that ran down her skin had to be ignored, the longsword sticking slightly as she nearly cut the fabric.

Behind her Djana frowned, the woman shaking her head.

"Perhaps with a Tailor we could make it work, but not now." The fabric simply wasn't designed for it, and the Templar would tear it if she tried much more. "Stop that."

She said, smacking the woman's hand.

The act earned her another stare of death from the petulant Templar, but Djana was in no mood. "We will take it into the castle hidden in a gift. Your man can hide it somewhere accessible once inside."

A good mid-point at least.