zerotohiro | I'll be the watcher of the eternal flame [Eachdraidh IC Contact]

OUTSIDE THE LA LLORONA RING. THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE YOU SHOULD MEET REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION.

People like...small-sized people you've told me about? Anyway, it doesn't matter who it is. I can be there in a sec. That cool?

YES.

[when he gets there, there's no one actually in sight. but that doesn't stop a soft whistle from going up. maybe a bird, but at this hour?

more than likely it was a signal for a certain knight to come and make her debut, and she was in higher spirits than she had been the time they last parted, even waving to him.]

[It doesn't take him long to arrive, and when he does he's without his usual backpack. However, he finds himself to be completely alone and it's a little startling. He cranes his head to get a glimpse of the bird (or what he assumes is some kind of animal) but he spots nothing.

Upon further inspection though he sees Grell and he bounces on the balls of his feet, zipping off and almost slipping in his haste to scramble to her side. He skids to a halt, grinning brightly in anticipation. He has no idea what she's thinking, but seeing her in a better mood...it's nice.]

So what's going on? [That's sort of like "hi" in his world.]

In regards to the copier or why I'm out here? Because the latter will be clear in a short moment.

[and she gestures that he should walk with her. there's movement beyond them, and Grell only raises up her hand in greeting when they draw closer.]

Carac. This is the one I spoke of.

[the man she addresses is tall, built like a wall, with greying hair and beard. he isn't smiling, and he has a sword at his side, but he nods and they both pass by, until Grell stops and points upwards.]

Look.

[through the shadows and leaves, the wood and branches, there's an actual structure tucked into it, above the ground and curving in shape. two structures, actually, close enough to be twins if not for how they were halves of a whole.]

This is our outpost. The protectors of that ring.

[He doesn't respond verbally but he does follow, curiosity piqued as he quickens his pace to keep up with her footsteps. He's looking over the area carefully but it's when she addresses the tall man he suddenly stops, staring up and stepping closer to Grell. There's a tentative wave and he's watching Carac retreat until Grell stops him at the base of the outpost.

…it's unique architecture, for sure, and he squints a bit to peer through the trees.]

You have an outpost. [Did he know that? Nah. He seems fairly awed though and he steps closer, waiting for Grell's permission to proceed.] Has this always been here? Where did it come from? [Wait.] Our?

The Unseelie have an outpost. I'm merely the one who...saying I'm in charge implies I'm here all the time. A time ago, Saber asked me to see to the ring's defence since it was an opportune spot for Seelie to slip through. So, I designed an outpost and selected promising candidates who agreed to be its guards. I trained them all myself, and you're fortunate enough to be here during a month of the original group.

[she shrugs and lets Hiro go as close as he wants. though he's not to be left alone for long - a flash of grey will get into his vision, a cat running across his path who pauses and looks back at him. long fur with questioning green eyes, they sit and watch him carefully.]

Including the seventh member.

You really trained all these guys? [He doesn't know how many guards there are but it's clear that he's seeing a new side of Grell that he hadn't actually taken seriously before. It's incredible, really, and hearing that it was Saber's idea doesn't surprise him at all.] The design is incredible though. [He's still walking closer and has his head tilted up to examine the structure itself.] It seems pretty sturdy. I can't believe you actually built this. Nobody would even guess.

[He's interrupted by the sudden streak in front of his path though and he jumps with a slight yell, head jerking down to look at the animal head-on. His expression turns more questioning than startled.]

Cat! [Yes, thanks for your help, Hiro. He continues to stare the animal down before glancing back at Grell and slowly sinking down into a crouch. He holds a hand out toward the cat, clicking his tongue softly to urge it to come closer.

He's going to pick it up so help him god.] Don't tell me the cat's trained in combat, too.

Not unless she's been undergoing training I haven't heard of.

[Grell chuckles, pushing up her glasses as the cat seems to be evaluating Hiro.]

I didn't build this place alone. But I did train them, and I did design it so that the dryads would remain unharmed should they live in the trees selected. And it's a bit of an open secret that it exists at all - rumour to most, fact to some.

[something about Hiro seems to meet the cat's approval, so she walks over to him, sniffing the offered hand, and looking back up. he has passed whatever invisible test this was.]

[There's a sly little grin following that.] Yeah. I'm head of something like that myself. [It's the way he says it that indicates it's something here that he hasn't told her.]

...she's cute. She has a name, right? [Because that's his biggest concern, apparently. Still, he's going to crawl forward just a little before carefully reaching forward and plucking the cat up from the ground, turning her in his hands to cradle her in his arms. Good cat. He's pushing himself back up to his full height like this is totally normal, tilting his head at the outpost again.]

And there actually still dryads here? [He's asking questions, but not the one he wants to ask.] We can go look inside the structure itself can't we?

[she nods and starts walking towards the structure again. the cat accepts this turn of events and turns her head to get a better view of things, but still remaining peaceful in Hiro's hold.]

Dryads I don't know, but better respectful than incurring the wrath of the Sisterhood. And her name is Trout. Ask Ascelyn if you're curious about that, she's the one who brought the cat back in the first place.

[going around the side of one of the trees, there's a rope ladder that Grell takes hold of and ascends without a thought, reaching up to an indent in the form to pull and reveal a door from. how Hiro intends to climb up with the cat, Grell wants to see - she's not going to tell him how she would do it unless he asks, though by the way Trout is moving, she's intent on giving it away.]

You know that mentioning anything secret, open or not, piques my curiosity, however. Another day I'll pester you for it.

The last thing we need is more creatures getting mad at us. [He looks down at the cat, mouthing the word "Trout" at her before looking up to watch where he's going.

When they approach the ladder he pauses, puzzling out how to do this. He thinks to put the cat in the hood of his sweater but the cat has other ideas, little paws and claws digging into his shoulder. He shifts her in his arms, nervously looking at her before lifting her up to boost her onto his shoulder and drape her like a scarf.

He pulls the hood up a little higher, just in case. Ascending the ladder he keeps an eye on Trout until they're both safely up on the landing and he's next to Grell, keeping his cat-scarf even as he approaches the door.]

Another day I'll probably tell you. [He grins brightly for a moment before it fades slightly again.] Let's just say it's something else Saber came up with. [A nod to the door.] Inside?

[she settles around his shoulders comfortably, unworried by him climbing up. she's done this a thousand times before, from Ascelyn murmuring soothing words to her to it being a new instinct to go there. if he doesn't take her off, she's not going to leave, nestled quite comfortably where she is. she is a small cat, for all her fluff, and she keeps looking around from her perch.

Grell for her part gestures him inside. the interior of the pod is simple in design, divided into two levels, and the sensation of magic clings strongly to the wood. it's how there's a safe place for a fire, with a table and two rickety chairs by it, an oil lamp on the side next to a small carved wooden bear, and other things. she keeps on moving upwards, on stairs that are part of the wall, and the second level reveals itself to be the sleeping area, where two beds made of simple materials and blankets are, along with three small trunks to the side. and there's higher to go, through the currently opened
hatch at the top which leads out to the deck that connects the twinned structure through their crowns. some pieces are still streaked with black from the destruction, but overall it stands sturdy, and when on the deck, it'd be impossible for one standing below to see through to it.

it's here that Grell stops and folds her arms, looking out onto the forest and exhaling slowly. she's content here, it's obvious, this place she dreamed up and created and trusts to be safe for those that would give their service. if the Seelie tried again, it wouldn't be easy.]

You'll have to give them a little bit - one's out hunting with Carac, two more are on duty, and I'm certain it's practice time for someone. I'll call them for introductions after I answer the questions I know are burning in you.

[He doesn't mind having a cat using him as a perch. She's light and her fur tickles his neck a little but it doesn't matter much. Occasionally a hand comes up to pet her but his attention's mostly fixated on the structure of the outpost. He moves quietly, peering into spaces and fingers running over walls and wood. He's careful not to jostle Trout on his ascension of the stairs and not to step on Grell either by moving too fast, eyeing the beds on their way up to the deck. When Grell stops he doesn't even bother looking down. He's looking out and it's clear that he's more than comfortable being so high up.

Truthfully, he's missed flying more than he's ever said. Being up here in the trees is refreshing. He looks at her though and continues rubbing Trout's ears, not at all missing the signs of destruction but unsure of how to approach the subject.]

It's okay. The introductions can wait for when they're not busy. [She's right though. There are questions.] It's bigger than it looks from the ground…but what happened to it? [Recently. May as well be blunt.]

The Seelie had someone attempt to destroy it. They half succeeded, but no one died in the attack and they underestimated that I know enough people to have it rebuilt in several weeks. Now it's warded better than it ever was, along with being more stable overall.

[Trout's eyes are half closed, her tail lazily flicking every now and then.]

Which means they shouldn't be able to find it so easily next time, right? [What if the Seelie had succeeded? What would that mean for them as a court? He doesn't know. He doesn't want to think on it too much and instead he focuses on the cat.]

Why were they trying to destroy this specifically?

It would free up this fairy ring to be freely used by the Seelie, for spying and the like. As well, it would send a message. That they failed sends one back.

[she steps close to Hiro, reaching to pet Trout, who is soaking up the affection. yes. pet her, big ones. she deserves it.]

I've spoken with the others. If you find yourself in danger, if you need to hide away from other shardbearers, be it for a few days or a month, you can come here, and you will be safe.

There's gotta be something we can do to lock the fairy ring so it only works for our side no matter what. Even if the Seelie somehow managed to be smart enough to take our outpost couldn't we stop them in their tracks that way?

[He shifts the cat on his shoulders, grinning lightly at the way she reacts. It's Grell's next statement that really draws his attention.]

...really? [It's something he hasn't thought of, if he's honest. He...always sort of assumed he'd just figure it out when the time came.] Are you sure?

Positive. If there is one thing that lacks in this world, it is the ability to have sanctuary when times get too difficult. And we're both the sort of people to accidentally gain someone or something on our trail. If you need it, I promise they won't ask you questions.

[The sheepish grin that follows is enough to say he totally agrees with that. He agrees that they're both the type to gain someone or something without meaning though.]

Thank you, Grell. That means a lot to me. [There's a thought though and he shoots Grell a tentative look.] If…something happens in the future, think I could talk to the guards about maybe letting someone else stay, too? Y'know. Just in case.

Of course. They're reasonable people - I'm sure you can work something out with them.

[the way she says it, it's not a dismissal, but rather trusting Hiro that he'll be able to navigate the nature of that request. honestly, she should have put a third structure section in when she had a chance with all of this.]

Obviously I'd tell you first before I told them. It's still your outpost. [And no matter how close he thinks they are, it's still important for him to know that there's trust pretty much from all sides. The idea that she trusts him enough to handle it on his own is daunting, but it's...nice, all the same.]

Who else from our side knows this is here?

Those more involved in the military front of our war should at least have heard the rumours. Anyone in the closer area has confirmed knowledge...and anyone Saber would have told. It was her request that I see to this ring's security in the first place.

[she doesn't know who Saber told, but word got around.]

Saber had a lot of secrets in this place, didn't she? [It's an idle comment, but still one searching for an answer. It's still weird without her here, and it's disconcerting that someone like Saber could just be crushed the way that she had been.] Sorta makes you wonder what else we're missing here.

Everyone has secrets in this place.

[that look at him is a little pointed - she hasn't forgotten that quip from earlier so soon.]

I'll be the watcher of the eternal flame [Eachdraidh IC Contact]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject