Legend of Ransera

"I will abide with Sir Baudric," she said calmly.

Nudity didn't upset her, and she had grown up with brothers. She had already seen most of Baudric's body and that in a vulnerable position due to the exigencies of his recovery in the Tranquil Gardens, but she turned her gaze away from him out of respect for his privacy even if the guards didn't. But while the guards didn't attempt to force her out, it seemed they would continue to try to tempt her out. She wasn't sure whether they felt guilty for putting her in this position or if they wanted access to Baudric without someone advocating for his best interests. She chose to give them the benefit of the doubt.

"I think at the very least there ought to be leftovers from the wedding feast," she said. There was a note of command lurking in her voice though she wasn't unkind or haughty about it. "Sir Baudric is being detained for questioning but he hasn't been charged with any crime. Until such time as he is, we ought to afford him better than starvation rations. We are better than that, don't you think?"

Her question was largely rhetorical, but it seemed to shame at least one of the guards into nodding and shuffling out with a "yes, milady." Perhaps he wondered how well he would be treated in the Imperium were he unlucky enough to be present for an assassination and kidnapping.

With a disappointed sigh, she returned to her seat on the cot. Starfall and House Leukos had been loyal to Kalzasi and Great House Briathos for generations; it was disheartening when circumstances made her doubt the value of such loyalty. She knew Talon Novalys to be a good man and she knew many Kalzasern citizens who were good people, but sometimes she wondered how much pressure it took to turn good people to bad actions.

Kala smiled at him. She was weary, but there was a sweetness and a strength to the look on her face.

"Since we both already consider you a friend, I can say that we welcome the reciprocation." She didn't mention that Kaus' agreement came immediately over their bond; she knew bonds still made him nervous, though perhaps he would come around. It seemed as though he was questioning what he had been taught. Kala had been raised to question what she was taught, but that was not the case everywhere, not even for everyone in Kalzasi. She felt fortunate to have had her parents and her upbringing, even if they made her strange to most people.

She sighed.

"I think they wanted them alive. Talon for obvious reasons, Aoren for leverage. The Shinsei would be a tough nut to crack, but if they threaten his husband..." She shook her head. While she had never been tortured, she knew that a threat to Kaus would be difficult to stand up to.

Kala smiled again at his offer and moved closer to enjoy the warmth of his wing, though she did her best not to crowd him. Kaus often shielded her from the wind this way, and in times previous, her elder brother had done the same. Just now, though, it reminded her of her father, who had been dead for many years. It made rational sense: Baudric was a full-grown Avialae warrior whose so-called weakness had been caring for the other children. She wished Baudric had been able to meet her father; he would have had a different outlook on life.

"I'm certain Prince Rien and Queen Sahfri are already organizing a search and rescue," she said. "All Kalzasi's resources will be turned toward their recovery. Not only is Talon our Shinsei, but he is a demigod. The Dawnmartyrs have been rallying to Arcas reborn; they will surely seek him out even to the ends of Ransera."

"They might accept your help," she allowed. "They will be desperate to find him. His acession isn't guaranteed, but it would be the path of least resistence for a transition of power." Cloistered as she had been with Baudric, she didn't know who had perished in the attack, what power vaccuums were rushing to be filled. She hoped Kaus would pay attention for her. She made herself eat as well; they would need their strength for what was to come, whatever it might be.

She laughed.

"He needs someone like you to push against. Growing up, he had our elder brother. But I won't tell him." She winked. Then, he felt the cold kiss of steel against his ribs. The wicked curve of her karambit was poised to gut him like a raptor's talon. Of course, the guards wouldn't think to check her for weapons. "They always underestimate women," she noticed conversationally, and then secreted the blade away once more.

"I will accept your hospitality." It might have seemed like a joke, but this was his cell and she knew it might have been a blow to his pride to depend on others for his livelihood while in Kalzasi; if this small gesture was what he had to offer, she would accept it in the spirit in which it was offered.

They would need their sleep for what was to come, as well.

"I hope you will not think unkindly of us," she said after she finished her food, hands resting in her lap. "The loss of our Shokaze, Shinsei, and prince-consort was a heavy, unexpected loss. They are frightened, and that leads to anger. It will bring out the best in some, and the worst in others."

Kala nodded. She could understand where he was coming from. That had been her goal in visiting him at the Tranquil Gardens and everything that came after: to build a bridge between one wingless Synnekar girl and a Kathar from the fearsome Imperium. She had never been wanting for empathy and she was glad that they had become friends so quickly, though she wished the current circumstances were different.

"First we have to help you, and then we can try to help Talon and Aoren." But she was confident that she could do the first, and when it came to the second, they would only be able to lend themselves to whatever other efforts were underway. She hoped they didn't miss out on that.

Detaching himself was as comfortable as the wing around her shoulders. She just nodded and pulled her feet up onto the cot, not bothering with her shoes because she didn't know when they might be taken out. She smiled and arranged the blanket about her after he offered it. People had served her for her entire life, but she also saw herself in service to them, albeit in a different way. She was gracious when being served and for a brief moment wondered if he might swear himself to House Leukos and abide in Kalzasi rather than returning to the Imperium. Perhaps if he decided to stay, she would offer to make him a knight of her House, but she wouldn't push any sort of agenda upon him.

"My opinion of you has only grown in respect and admiration, my friend."

She felt exhaustion creeping in now that the immediate danger had passed. With a wave of her hand, she sent cords of Fire winding through the room to heat up the air enough to keep the Frost chill out so Baudric wouldn't be cold on the floor and she wouldn't be cold with the one blanket they had between them.

"Good night."

Lore:

Baudric:
TBA

Kala:
Surgery:
Analyzing a Fresh Wound
Makeshift Bandaging
Using Elementalism to Cauterize
Binding a Wound to Stop Bleeding
Civilian Triage
Cauterizing to Stop Bleeding

Elementalism:
Precision Use of Fire
Precision Use of Air
Precision Use of Water

Semblance:
Analyzing Life Force

Politics:
How Others Will Interpret Actions
Seeing Multiple Points of View
Claiming Guest Rights
Analyzing Regime Change

Religion:
Prayers in Time of Upheaval

Points: 10 each, Kala may use for Semblance or Elementalism

Injuries/Ailments: None

Loot: None

Notes: Looking forward to seeing how this story arch ends.