Something About Diplomatizing [r]

[Nascha]

Maeve

The Knights' encampment had been bustling all day. For reasons that Nascha could only guess at the moment had to do with public appearances, very important people had dropped by for negotiations. Namely, the Queen of Plegia. Supposedly. Nascha normally wasn't one to doubt a person's identity, but anyone with likely ties to the Grimleal was immediately suspect, and she couldn't for the life of her understand why this person would meet and negotiate with the people dedicated to destroying the fanatical cult's lord and savior. It didn't actually occur to her when she heard the news that the leader of a country that, in its entirety, worshiped Grima might be opposed to the core group of crazy people. Blame seeing too much of it for too long.

But, needless to say, she didn't want much of anything to do with that. She'd wave words with Dorian later, but for the time being she was just playing nice and staying out of the way. She'd found a nice tree outside to lean against, and was currently staring up at the sky, watching the clouds pass. Maybe she'd just sleep this extended meeting off or something. She wasn't quite drowsy enough for a nap at the moment, but if this went on much longer then she'd either fall asleep or have to go stretch her legs. Or wings. Maybe go snatch up another goat or something.

[Maeve]

She needed a break. Specifically, she needed a little bit of space, a moment of comfortable tranquility. Maeve was inexhaustible when it came to her duties as queen, but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate a brief respite. During dinner hours, she snuck away, leaving her crown with her Admiral for safekeeping (she told him she wouldn't be far, and he could send eyes and ears after her if he wished--but from a distance, please). Even without her crown and regalia, Maeve didn't quite pass as a normal person. Her gait was too stately, her bearing too poised, and she looked a bit too lost even for a Ylissean from the other end of the halidom. She hadn't gone too far before she found a quiet area, populated only by a woman and a tree. Maeve approached, her footsteps soft but not silent over the grass. "Do you mind a bit of company?" Maeve asked, looking up at the woman at the tree. "I could use a spot of shade, and I hope I shan't be too bothersome or too long." Nascha

[Nascha]

Maeve

Nascha noted as she stared up at the sky that it was getting to be about time for dinner. Maybe she would have to go hunting for a bit after all. It was either that or head back inside in the middle of whatever meetings were still going on. Either one could wait just a little bit longer, but she was definitely leaning towards the former at the moment.

That thought was interrupted by sudden company. Nascha looked down as she spotted someone approaching. She definitely wasn't from around here. She looked a bit...lost. Unfamiliar with the land. And her posture and bearing were too perfect for a normal person. Was she a noblewoman who had come with the queen, then? Or even the queen herself? Nascha hadn't actually seen them coming in, so she could only take guesses. That...could be trouble. Anyone part of the queen's entourage could pose a problem, but so long as Nascha was playing nice she couldn't chase them off. So if the woman was going to force her company on Nascha, then Nascha would just have to accept it.

Maybe she could learn something in the meantime, at least.

"Go ahead," Nascha said vaguely. She put on a small smile, trying to at least resemble looking pleasant. "I don't mind." She brushed her hands through her hair, making sure it was hiding her ears just in case. Even if this woman was a potential enemy, Nascha didn't want to accidentally scare her away. Not yet, at least.

[Maeve]

"Thank you. Again, I must apologize for the bother. Sometimes, I feel slightly overwhelmed by all these people, but the Knights are a friendly folk--moreso than I am used to. Are they often so... boistrous?" Maeve asked, hesitating before she found a word that wasn't too offensive. Honestly, she enjoyed the company of the Knights of Cydonia. They seemed kind and well-intentioned, their goals noble and righteous. If she weren't a queen, if she didn't have duties and her own war to fight, perhaps she would accompany them herself. That would be a different life. Maeve sat down on the roots of the tree, carefully spreading her skirts under her, so that they would only be slightly wrinkled. Breathing deeply--she loved the desert air in Plegia, but the crisp Ylissean air was good too--Maeve leaned back into the tree trunk. "Have you eaten yet? When I go back, I can ask someone to bring you a plate of food. It's the least I can do." Nascha

[Nascha]

Well...this woman seemed agreeable enough. It was in poor taste to be unpleasant to someone who hadn't done the same first. Nascha knew this well, both from personal experience and family history. And even among the Grimleal there had been people who weren't...terrible. That did nothing to quell her suspicions of the queen and her entourage, but it did allow her to speak without distaste in her voice. "Well, that depends what you mean," she said, letting out a soft, short laugh. "I've only been here for a short time myself, so I don't know them all too well. But from what I've seen, yes, some of them can be. I know their intentions are good, at least."

She watched the woman as she sat down, noting how she took care not to mess up her clothes too much. Another suggestion of nobility. Or, at least, care for appearance greater than what a commoner would have. That was something to keep in mind...or would be, if Nascha cared about her manners around nobility. As far as she was concerned, she was old enough to be any human's distant ancestor. She'd talk however she wanted.

"It's fine. I'll get something on my own later," she said. True, that would probably sound like 'I don't want her favors'. But the last time she'd taken dragon form and snatched up a goat with other people around, they'd shrieked loud enough to hurt her ears. She was just going to keep that part to herself.

[Maeve]

"Mm," Maeve said in agreement before she realized she hadn't actually said anything. Too quickly, she stumbled for words, "Indeed--yes, I rather enjoy their company. It is interesting to feel safe among strangers, though I fear I am too formal and foreign to them. That is to say, you--as in all of you. Um, not necessarily singular you." Well, that came out a mess. She sighed and shook her head. Talking outside of diplomacy was difficult, to say the least. She should study these knights while she shared camp with them, Maeve decided. Perhaps she could learn for their carriage and conduct, but when was a queen to act like a human being rather than a conduit for the crown? She flinched, not realizing that the woman might've turned down her offer for her own convenience rather than a more all-encompassing rejection. It was a noble flinch at least, a moment of frozen stiffness that soon dissipated. Less noble was the slightly dejected pout and an increased focused on wringing the cloth of her dress. She stopped the wringing and smoothed out the creases she'd created. "As you wish," she replied, softly. Nascha

[Nascha]

Maeve

Nascha instinctively found herself laughing softly at the woman stumbled over her words. Not used to talking to people, was it? Nascha could relate to that. Although normally, she found herself lacking for the right words rather than saying something and then hastily trying to correct a possible offense. That...was what Nascha assumed the woman was trying to do, at least. Speaking of the Knights as though excluding her from them, then quickly trying to correct herself. But Nascha didn't mind. She didn't fully consider herself one of them, yet. For now, she was just along for the ride. She had yet to find real companionship among them. And even if she did and had, she was still very different from the rest.

"Don't worry about it. I feel the same way sometimes. Well...foreign, at least. I don't know much of speaking formally." Nascha continued to carefully watch the other woman, and noticed her flinch and subsequent pout after she turned her offer down. Oops. "Oh, don't take that the wrong way. I'm just used to doing these things myself. I'm still not really accustomed to eating with the rest of them." She wasn't sure what else to say without giving too much away. Suddenly, it was her turn to feel awkward about talking casually. A thousand years of alternating between isolation and only being around those she considered enemies, and she wasn't sure if she was properly explaining herself or just offending the woman more.

If only she could just act like a dragon more.

[Maeve]

"Oh," she said, and it felt like heavy weights had lifted off her shoulders. So she hadn't just ruined everything. How... surprising. How pleasant! Her face lit up, and she giggled. "I am thankful I did not anger you." Maeve listened, and when Nascha finished, she didn't let the silence linger. Diplomacy and court politics had taught her how to recognize the difference between a pause and a silence. "It took me years to learn to speak formally," Maeve babbled. She hadn't been trained for these situations. There were practiced phrases for her to rely on, so Maeve spoke the truth. "I worked so hard at it, but now I know no other way to speak. It's rather unfortunate." That was marginally less awkward. In fact, that was acceptable. Maeve felt proud. "You said you are foreign?" Maeve inquired, curious. "Where are you from then--if you don't mind me asking? I had thought most of the Knights were from Ylisse, although I've heard Dorian accepts people from all walks of life. It is good of him, I think. It is brave." Nascha

[Nascha]

"Relax. Short of mass murder or summoning evil dragon gods, there's not much you could do to anger me," Nascha said, trying to wave away any remaining uncertainty. Irritate her? Sure, probably, eventually. But it took a lot to actually anger Nascha. The reassurance was also a dangerous hint, though. She had no interest in playing nice with Grimleal, and if this woman supported them, Nascha would make no exception.

The silence didn't linger long, as the woman quickly filled in the gaps. It felt a lot less awkward that way, even if the words that filled it seemed rather meaningless. That was fine, though. Nascha didn't mind the silence, but it tended to make other people uncomfortable.

Nascha nodded at the woman's question. "I guess you could say I'm from East Ferox, although I haven't lived there in a very long time. Actually, I've spent most of my life since then in Plegia. I'll confess that it didn't leave much of a good impression on me, but my family had a history with it." She closed her eyes. "Of course, I could say the same for Ylisse. If I didn't run into Dorian, I might have gone right back."

Maeve

[Maeve]

"I would never summon Grima," Maeve said quickly, genuinely aghast. Her hands twisted her skirts into a further wrinkley mess, and she leaned forward in protest. "Never! I swear it." She bit her lip. It occurred to her that maybe that was a joke. On second thought, it was definitely a joke. Maeve covered her face with her hands for a second and when she lowered them, her face was comfortably serene. "My apologies for the outburst." Oh, Plegia, treating strangers so well. Was this woman waylaid by bandits? Grimleals? Soldiers? The options were limitless when it came to being wronged by Plegia somehow, although Maeve took comfort in the notion that Ylisse only had a better reputation because they hadn't tried to summon the dark dragon to devour the world. "I'm finding Ylisse quite pleasant so far." It was true, but she was aware that most people treated a queen well when she was a guest. "I prefer Plegian food though, but perhaps that is because I'm already well acquainted with it." This time, Maeve didn't letting a silence stretch out before she asked, "He is a good man then? Dorian, I mean." Nascha

[Nascha]

That...was quite a response. Nascha blinked at the woman's sudden outburst and seemingly genuine shock. Okay, maybe there was a reason she was here after all. It still seemed...difficult to believe, but Nascha was starting to open up to the idea of giving her the benefit of the doubt. She would have to hear more, and to decide for herself. But maybe, just maybe, there was something to be said for the queen's surprise visit. "Don't be," Nascha said, after the woman apologized. "That's...good to hear, actually."

She let out a soft sigh. "I imagine that a queen and her entourage would be treated with respect anywhere, even given the history between Ylisse and Plegia. Me, I'm nobody important. And given my reasons for being here, I got hit with the political side of this country first thing. I didn't even know the young Exalt had died until I got to Ylisstol and saw the state of it." She chuckled softly when the woman mentioned food. "Ahh, if only that was the only difference of note between nations. But I guess since I tend to find my own food it wouldn't matter much."

This time, the silence didn't last long at all. "Good, yes. His heart is in the right place, and he seems intent to follow through on everything he's promised. I'm just worried he's going to get himself killed before he gets there."

Maeve