The Mating Begins
9/19/2009
05:09 PM
Logfile from Emrys.
The courtyard of the Silverspire is in full Festive mode. There are tents! Tables with freshly roasted food! And servers with strong and large mugs of bitter drink sure to put hair on even the smoothest of chests.
Addison turns up like he always does, and somehow he walks instead of rides a horse or fights through the woods. Likely, he has come to Weirmonken via cockroach -- those suckers live forever in jars. He gives the tables of freshly roasted food a very long look indeed before avoiding them and, instead, taking one of the mugs of proffered drink. He takes a long sip, and shudders.
Off in one of the tents, the finishing touches are being placed on Emrys. Angry colors and sharp-edged designs in bodypaint.
Addison is an official visitor so, once a few people clear out, he heads over to Emrys to sign in and get his official visitor badge. He ducks into the tent in question, bows a polite but short bow, and takes a look at the bodypaint. "Afternoon. It's not a bad look."
Emrys isn't sitting; maybe it's the paint, maybe it's nervous energy that doesn't let him. "Thanks." He takes up one of the mugs that was left in the tent. "It's tradition."
"You know," Addison says and he takes a long sip of this noxious drink. "When I married Rose I simply had a murder a man in cold blood."
Emrys chuckles. "It'd be easier than surviving Faelin, I think."
Addison looks mildly confused for a moment and says, "I'm not completely set on Weir traditions, but my understanding is that she is both close to Zane and a bit of a loner."
"You are not incorrect," Emrys answers. He nods towards the open tent flaps. "Let's walk. I don't feel as if standing still makes anything better."
Addison nods and ducks out of the tent flap. "Certainly."
"You have been blessed, Addison, to witness mainly the joyful side of Weirmonken traditions," Emrys says. "But life in Weirmonken isn't all feasts and drunken orgies." Emrys rolls his shoulders, the muscles beneath the paint and skin flexing. "We all need reminded of that."
"I have become acquainted with the burning people in the forest, horrible things in the halls, eating living flesh part," Addison says, "but that may have just been the Black Road. Look, you know me. I'm very keen to learn anything I can, be it good or terrible. I'm a neutral observer today."
Zane enters from the north.
Zane has arrived.
Emrys nods. "I have not forgotten your contributions during our time of need," he tells Addison as they walk through the festivities. "And I owe you a favor still, when you're ready to claim it."
"I haven't needed anything," Addison says. "Things calmed down afterward and got very quiet. My plan for this evening, though, is to stay out of the way and watch. If someone needs something stabbed, I'll stab it. But I don't think there will be."
Emrys laughs. "No, I don't think there will be much need for you to be stabbing things."
Zane emerges from the Spire and does his best to avoid those enjoying the festivities, finding no reason to embrace them himself. He moves through those gathered, lurking around the periphery.
Addison reaches up one hand and runs it through his tossled hair. "You never know! You also need someone to help drink all this... I'm not sure it's beer."
Emrys grins. "It's the finest drink we make, Addison." He takes a healthy drink from his tankard, having not espied Zane.
Zane snatches up a tankard from a table and tips the contents onto the ground. The cup itself passes from one hand to the other, keeping them busy as he looks to see who has gathered.
Addison does spy Zane in a glimpse through the crowd. He takes a long sip and starts looking around for Faelin and her entourage. Then he watches Zane start to pour out the beer and he takes a deep breath. He flashes Emrys a smile and says, "So when does all this start?"
Emrys looks up at the silvery sky. "Soon," he decides.
Zane uses the tankard to distract himself from searching for the Regent, choosing to inflict damage on that innocent vessel instead.
Addison also looks up at the silvery sky and then back at Zane. He chews his lip for a moment and then asks Emrys, "So what happens in this ritual? I saw Rae and Maddock, but I think this will be different."
Emrys shakes his head. "It'll be about the same. It varies, a bit, from pack to pack, but it's essentially an open challenge, then Faelin will get an hour's head start, then I chase." As if to say if there are any challenges, Emrys does not plan to lose them.
Addison asks, "So she can, wot. Lay traps? I'm not clear on the winning and losing conditions."
Emrys says, "If she can last until sunrise without being caught, then she is free to not be my mate, and I cannot try to take any mate for a year. If I catch her before sunrise, she is mine."
Addison asks, "For how long?"
Emrys says, "Death."
Addison thinks about that for the word Death has wide connotations for him. "True Death or the sort you get better from?"
Emrys says, "True death."
Zane moves through the crowd now, having spied the Regent and some of those words carry towards him. "What the Regent actually means is until he grows bored or bows to the demands of others who call him weak. Have you told him about the other time you have taken a mate and then divorced her, Regent? Counting on Amber's laws to empty your bed, not ours."
Emrys gives a nod of his head to Zane. "I have never had a divorce, Zane. I'm certain you're minsinformed."
Addison gives Zane a very polite head bow and he is picking up quite well on the unhealthy electricity in the air. "Good evening, Zane. I... am not entirely up on events."
Zane's grip on his tankard is white knuckle tight, "Then what do you call your union with Duchess Karm? Or have you forgotten that already?" He nods politely to Addison because he has no quarrel with the outsider. "Our Regent took Lilith Karm for a mate and when he no longer wanted her, sought permission and advice from his people to free himself."
"No, not at all," Emrys answers. "But you are misinformed, Zane. First, we were handfasted, not mated. Second, I did not seek advice, nor permission, to have it ended. She did. Third, it was anulled, so it never happened as far as Amber is concerned."
Addison ahs quietly, familiar with this little bit of rumor. "My understanding... with the Duchess Karm... was that was a purely legal matter."
Zane's lips form a dark smirk, "Your daughter would disagree with you but conveniently, she is not here. How unfortunate your own daughter no longer steps foot in the Spire, Regent. You twist words as you twist people. Faelin will never be yours." The cup changes to his other hand and Zane starts to move away, respecting he cannot attack Emrys until the challenges are called for.
"As, conveniently, your family is not here," Emrys returns before taking another drink from his mug.
Sadie has arrived.
Faelin has arrived.
Rae has arrived.
Zane comments over his shoulder in Emrys' direction, "They would not bear witness to the Regent making a fool of himself. They will return when my year and a day has passed and I am free to hunt."
Emrys smiles. "I'm sure that's it. I look forward to seeing who you choose to hunt this fall, Zane."
To Addison, Emrys says, "A lot of traitors showed up in Icemane this year. He was one."
Emrys mutters to Addison, "... showed... in Icemane... was..."
Addison is standing by Emrys with a tankard of something he is mostly sure is beer in his hands. He gives Zane a slight look, and then a look back to Emrys, but it's clear he doesn't want to get into this.
Zane crushes the poor little tankard in his hands, bending the metal inwards until it will no longer serve as a good cup. He keeps walking away from the pair of Emrys and Addison though. There will be time later to strike out.
A small group of people makes their way in from the Menagerie. The bridal party has arrived, it seems. Niklas' tall form flanks the painted Faelin as they make their way over.
Rae walks near to Faelin, with lifted chin, like she's proud to be part of this little procession.
Sadie's eyes dart between Emrys and Zane as she enters with Rae and Faelin, sensing the tension.
Zane looks towards the bridal party as does the rest of the gathered crowd. Many openly admire the painted form of the Huntress.
Addison takes another very long sip from his tankard and shudders. Whatever it is, it is putting hair on his chest. Maybe. He also takes this moment to admire the painted form of the Huntress once it's clear it is completely fine to do so.
Emrys looks towards Faelin as well, a hungy grin slowly curling across his lips.
Faelin walks over, hips set in a gentle saunter and shoulders straight. She glances over the crowd, gaze lingering on Zane for a moment. Her expression is inscrutinable, only the length of time that she watches him speaks to one thing or another. Still, it isn't Zane that she walks towards now. It must be Emrys. She looks back at him, calm and cool, unphased and apparently unimpressed by the grin.
Addison takes a step away from Emrys. Like he is taking a step out of the blast radius.
Zane doesn't take his eyes off Faelin, meeting her gaze when it finds him. A smile, revealing the true extent of his emotions forms first before fading away beneath a stoic expression. Quietly he watches her approach the Regent as he now must continue to bide his time.
One of the oldest of the Weir steps away from a bonfire. He is old enough to have gained wrinkles and white hair, scars that haven't healed, and a certain gnarledness to his form. He slams a stick as twisted as he is agains tsomething metal to make a resounding gong. "Quiet!" the ancient Moonsong demands.
Rae stands a little straighter, now, and turns her gaze towards the Elder. She fidgets just a bit, but is being good. For Rae definitions of good.
Once things settle down, the ancient Moonsong elder goes on. "We're here today to be reminded of what it is to have strength, to revel in life. We're here to see if this one," and here the old man thunks Emrys, soundly, on the chest with his cane, "can catch that 'un." And he pokes Faelin in the side. "So let's be gettin' on with it. If there's any who want to challenge, now's the time."
Sadie looks sideways at Zane. Sneaky-like.
Faelin hops to the side, apparently not appreciating the poking. She gives the elder a mock-glare, then resettles. Then, like so many others in the crowd, she looks at Zane. Pale eyes expectant, but expression suitably benign.
Addison sidles over toward Rae with mug still in his hand. He knows where he is with Rae. With Rae.
Rae stands a bit closer to Addison and gives a small nod.
It is not unexpected when Zane steps forward when challengers are called for. Nearly everyone is watching him when the Elder calls for them and nobody is surprised when the Icemane lifts his voice above the the crowd. "I, Zane Icemane, would challenge the Regent." Grey eyes turn to Emrys, not filled with hate but certainly there is no love lost for the man who rules the Spire and Weirmonken.
The Elder hears the call and the name means something to him. His staff is lifted and pointed towards Zane but not to welcome him. "No. Not you, Icemane. As is the tradition of your own clan, you cannot. You still await for the alloted time to pass before you have that right again."
Zane frowns, "I may not be able to hunt her but I can challenge him." He looks from Emrys to the Elder and then back to the Regent again, wondering if Emrys has pulled a swifty.
"No," states the Elder, "I have received word from your Clan Alpha. This situation is somewhat unique but has occured before in the past. The purpose of these challenges is for those who wish to hunt this woman the opportunity to claim it from the man who declared his intentions, Icemane. Should you win, you could not fill the void he would leave. The cycle would be interupted and our tradition made a mockery. Your Alpha, Kazimir Icemane, forbids this, forbids you and will not have his Clan dishonor the traditions in the manner they are respected by all Icemanes."
Addison listens to the Elder's words and blanches a bit.
Rae's expression wavers a bit at the mention of Kazimir, but it only lasts for an instant.
Sadie watches Zane, eyes unreadable...but at least it's not disdain. Or pity.
Emrys looks as surprised as any other. To face Zane, he was ready. To hear the rest...he blinks.
Faelin's eyes widen and she steps forward, shaking her head, "But that's not..." she begins and then pauses, searching for words, "Elder, with all respect, that's not the traditions of /my/ clan. Or, or... or even Emrys, I don't think. So, given that, it really doesn't apply here..."
Zane's fists clench and he literally snarls, "But it is the traditions of -my- Clan that I respect and must adhere to." He looks to Faelin and then forces himself to step backwards, his loyalty to his Alpha and Clan keeping him from acting. The elder nods, "He is an Icemane, he must respect his clan's ways, not yours, not the Regent's. Are there any others?"
Faelin's jaw tightens. The glare that rises like the tide over her expression is diverted from the elder just in time. She doesn't look around at the crowd. That would be beneath her. Searching for other faces, others to perhaps bridge the gap, beyond her pride. Instead, she simply glares at Emrys. Loving mate-to-be.
Emrys offers Faelin a small shrug, and a look that clearly says this was not of his doing.
Rae looks between Faelin, Emrys, and Zane, looking slightly uncomfortable. She doesn't say anything, however, as she's long since lost what little ability she had to speak for Icemane.
The elder looks around once more. "Then girl, get moving. You get an hour's head start. Spirits be with ya."
Zane's fists remain clenched as he watches and waits, hoping someone will challenge Emrys. When nobody does, he moves away from the group, weaving through the crowd to put himself on a collision course with the Huntress when she does move towards the gates.
Faelin takes a deep breath and rolls her shoulders back, "Thank you, Elder. But I won't need even half of it." She offers Emrys a mocking bow and then turns on her heels, stalking toward the gates and the wild beyond.
Emrys watches Faelin leave, smirking and his confidence showing in his eyes. "See you soon, Faelin." He goes to get a fresh mug while giving the hour's head start.
Addison watches Faelin go to and takes a deep breath and lets it out again.
Rae watches Faelin as well, and then declares to Addison, "I'm going to get a drink." She starts to wander, but not in a way that doesn't invite the Feldane to follow.
Muttering to Faelin, Zane catches Faelin around the waist before she passes through the gates and pulls her towards him, defying Emrys and tradition by claiming the hunted woman for a kiss. Words are then spoken quickly, from him to her, "... you. I'll be... here until..."
Addison watches Rae just leave to go get a drink.
Faelin is caught about the waist and pulled to that kiss. She offers Zane a quirked, sharp little smile and then steps back. She says nothing audible to any beyond him, but nods. Once. Then she's slipped from him and moving, leaving only paint behind.
Rae has a tankard of something in short order, and takes a long drink from it before she wanders towards Emrys.
Emrys has found a mug. And some kind of roasted meat on a stick. "Rae."
Zane watches Faelin go, confident the Huntress will avoid capture as she's done it before. He moves away from the gates, stalking towards the forge where he'll be able to fill in his time and expend energy without harming anyone.