Ceres Uppsala: The Shield Maiden. (maidenofshields) wrote in emillion, @ 2014-08-25 20:18:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !log, ceres uppsala, juliette coulombe |
Why are you here if you're just going to stand around, is it to build up walls or tear them down...?
Who: Ceres & Juliette.
What: An uncomfortable conversation between temporary bunkmates
Where: Shieldwyrm.
When: Recently.
Rating: G
Status: Complete
It had taken a while, but passive glances with her eyes - face still downturned to focus on the cleaning and sharpening of her gunblade - and listening to any sounds, or vocal utterances from the girl not far from made had allowed Ceres to come to a conclusion. Yes, she was certain at this point, but…. It still left a fair amount of… Questions. The sharpening stone was along the side of the blade once more before being placed on the stand next to her bed, and standing so that she could sheave the sword. Only then did her gaze rise to look upon the girl settling into the cot next to hers. “Why are you here?” From her spot perched at the edge of her narrow and very uncomfortable bed, Juliette looked up from the tome on magicks which she had been blindly staring at for an hour without retention. “I’m sorry?” It had come as a shock, the first time this woman, of all people, had come to claim the empty bed next to hers, but with a week having passed Juliette had found it something she could almost ignore (she was far more interested, after all, in Ceres Uppsala’s fighting than she was in what the woman did in her spare time). Still, this was the first time she had ever been addressed so directly, and the question took her aback. Why am I here? “I’m a member of the guild,” she finally said. Better an inane explanation than the whole truth, certainly. She had every right to be here. “Am I… bothering you?” “You’re a child.” If she’d made class or not didn’t change her age, or her ability with a weapon. Though, from what Ceres could recall the girl did learn quickly enough. Yet, that didn’t mean she belonged in a guild hall like this. Sure, most of the men were well behaved enough around her - someone who could break their noses and would - but it didn’t mean they’d treat a young thing like this with the same sort of respect. “You belong at home.” At that statement, Juliette had to grit her teeth to keep from retorting. She took a breath, let it out, tried not to let the simmer of temper which had not left her for days now come to the surface. Saying, I am an adult would do her exactly no good. She felt too much like a lost child, truth be told, to fully disagree with the statement, no matter how much it burned her pride. “At this present moment,” she said, almost the prim noblewoman she had been trained up to be (she did not think of the Countess long, but even so subconsciously modeled her composure), not a quaver in her voice, “home is here.” “No one’s home should be here.” The statement was delivered almost coldly, a certain callousness to it though regardless of whatever state or response the girl seemed to feel appropriate, it would seem Ceres remained completely unphased and unmoved by the shifts in posture and tone. “The barracks are a place to sleep.” “I… sleep here, then.” An utterly unsatisfactory answer, but Juliette had none better to offer. There was nowhere else to go but here -- and what business was it of anyone’s anyway? Plenty of people stayed here. Generally not people like her, perhaps, but she was still trying her best to blend in, however much good it was doing her. “I apologize if this is… displeasing.” Really, she ought to set the book down and go elsewhere, at least for a little while -- to help with dinner, perhaps, as there was always a need -- but her back was up now, so she tucked her legs up and turned a page in her book and attempted to focus on the words therein, which were foreign and utterly incomprehensible. She had done everything right -- the quartermaster had assigned her the cot -- surely she could not be faulted for staying here by her neighbor, formerly of the Kingsguard or otherwise. “No family?” Ceres gaze remained steadied on the girl before her, not a hint of emotion changing, though the coldness did remove from her voice at the new question and turn of events. Juliette’s hands tightened on her book, knuckles turning white. She thought of telling the knight that it was none of her business, but respect negated that possibility. In the end, she responded in the best way she could: “None that… I would claim.” Ceres eyes narrowed further at the response from the girl as if trying to glare out some sort of smaller detail, something that wasn’t being said. Disowning of family, especially in a town like this, was no small feat, and likely a fairly serious affair. After a moment the glare fell away. “Steer clear of Godsfrey, Sloan, and Kalagron. They’re dirt.” A glance was given down the length of the room. “Jenningson is slime. Reddick will pick a fight for a person breathing. That bed’s fine but stay out of that one.” Ceres pointed across the room to one that had remained empty over the course of the day, and even the evening as the hall had begun to fill. “Not worth the fight.” Yes, even Ceres was capable of some forms of advice. The sudden shift from what had felt very much like an inquisition to what appeared to be… nearly goodwill was surprising to say the least. Juliette gaped for a moment before regaining some form of composure and saying, “Thank you. I will keep it in mind.” Truthfully, most of the men here didn’t notice her at all, which she preferred (and whether or not this had something to do with her known association with Theodore Finch was uncertain), but it was always best to know who might be trouble. She didn’t want trouble. Just… invisibility. “If you’re going to stay in a guild hall, you can pick which one.” Ceres gaze lingered across the room. “Ashwyrm, Tiamat, And Yiazmat are nicer.” And really much less likely a place for a girl to get in trouble. The people in those halls were a bit tighter, or at least more polite in those areas of the city her experience would dictate. Quietly, as though sharing a confidence (in a way, she was), Juliette said, “I know.” Unspoken: the fact that she had picked this one on purpose. She’d considered Lindwyrm briefly too, but… this was the most crowded, the one where she was least likely to be noticed, and she’d spent enough time here sparring with Pyr that she knew her way around well, and… Well, anyway. It didn’t matter. “Thank you,” she said again. Finally, the book was put away as a hopeless case. Perhaps tomorrow, she would be able to make something sensible of it. “I am going to go help with dinner.” As unnecessary as it was to explain herself, she couldn’t seem to help it, as though she was once again a squire reporting to a teacher. No sound was made to confirm the statement from the girl, but it was simply left to lie in the open. That would be something questionable they’d need to have taken care of if it ever became a problem. Though… Didn’t Ceres have her own reasons for avoiding several of those halls? That wasn’t something to think of for now. “Enjoy.” Came the response - possibly the closest she’d ever get to a sincere and unannoyed comment - as the speed knight turned, moving to inspect her available ammo and other gear. Juliette’s third and final thanks might have been spoken to a wall, for all the response it garnered, but that didn’t really matter, she supposed. It had been a victory of sorts, the maintenance of her composure through this very uncomfortable conversation, but now… Well, now she just needed to… chop something. Possibly a bit more viciously than was strictly necessary, but vegetables didn’t care. With that thought foremost in her mind, the young woman exited the barracks. |