[Log] (Ongoing) To Vinay with Alenia

[nightsveilqueen]

Who: Chrodechild (nightsveilqueen and Alenia godwin_knight
Where: On the road to Vinay Del Zexay and then the city itself
When: A few days after this post, about now-ish

Comments

[godwin_knight]

As quiet as Alenia was, she was not so much lost in her thoughts as she was trying not to think about Gizel. Because despite having sworn loyalty again to Queen Arshtat and having a genuine regret for helping the Godwins take over the Sun Palace, her feelings for the smooth-tongued nobleman had not changed in the very least. And it left her terribly conflicted

[nightsveilqueen]

Chrodechild was even less familiar with the area than Alenia, but she had brought a map at least. "Vinay is a major city. It has to be supported by nearby farms--we can try to find one and ask for shelter, or at least find a place we can camp sheltered from the wind." She looked about, though the area they were in was becoming heavily forested. "I think the land flattens out beyond there--indicating some fields," she pointed in one direction. "Or we can go into the woods.

She took a breath. "This reminds me of my mercenary days." She smiled wryly. "All the freedom and the discomfort it afforded." She smile grew sad, as she thought of Roberto and Meruvis and the others. If she wasn't missing Fredegund horribly, she was missing them. She couldn't escape the sense of loneliness.

[godwin_knight]

"I suppose you're right. If all else fails, I believe there is a cavern not too far from the city itself." Alenia glanced towards where Chrodechild pointed. "Whatever we come across first, I suppose. It would be better to find something before it does get dark."

The Queen's Knight continued walking, listening to what her companion was saying. It was apparent that she was nostalgic and perhaps homesick. "Did you prefer those days then?"

[nightsveilqueen]

"A cavern would be fine. We'll be out of the wind and a fire will make it nice and warm." She headed forward.

"I... sometimes." She shook her head. "I've lived a strange life, of being continually uprooted. It's starting to feel the norm for me.

"What I really miss, though, are my comrades. And my sister, Fredegund. Circumstances at home placed me in charge at the end of the war, but inappropriate though it may be, I see them as my equals, my family. Home was where they were, be it camping in the desert or in the luxury of Pharamond castle."

It was the first time she'd ever really talked about it much, more than her few brief mentions to Jale.

[godwin_knight]

Alenia raised an eyebrow, not used to such personal information from the other female warrior. But since she was willingly sharing and if Chrodechild felt comfortable enough doing so, Alenia was not going to dissuade her from expressing herself.

"Even in the midst of war, you were at home with them? It must be nice, to have such a thing." Forgetting herself, Alenia quickly shook her head to take her last comment back. "But of course, certain things must be sacrificed for one's ideals. Forget I said anything."

[nightsveilqueen]

"My fellow Blades were my home. Place didn't matter. For many years I was in exile while Astrasia was occupied. I thought Fredegund was dead until only a few months before the war ended." She kept walking, lips pursed.

"Many things were sacrificed on all sides. Such is war."

[godwin_knight]

"..." Unfortunately, the Queen's Knight, who had betrayed her queen and helped exhile her son for a time, didn't have much to say about that.

Alenia kept her eyes in front of them, looking for signs of the cavern or any other form of shelter. She was still not sure why she agreed to go with Chrodechild to the Zexen capital when she had no real intention of getting her violin fixed. After dropping it down the stairs before taking off to try and visit Alma Kinan again, she had nothing but doubts about everything she was doing at Budehuc. She felt that her life after supposed death was nothing but a lie.

Because in the end, if she were standing before both Queen Arshtat and Gizel and had to choose between the two of them, she was afraid that she would only repeat history.

[nightsveilqueen]

Chrodechild noted Alenia's palpable silence. "I should not trouble you with my nostalgia. I apologize."

She walked a little further, leading the horse behind her. "If I brought something up inappropriate, I doubly apologize."

A strange sound picked up around the trees at that moment, like something was shaking the branches--but against the direction that the wind was blowing.

((ooc: I'm just making stuff up as I go along here, feel free to amend/add/reject as you see fit))