#elegiacboar

Claimed by @elegiac-boar

Priam was a decent cook. He had to be, after living alone for so long. There was little point in hunting and making a kill if he then didn’t know what to do with it.

So, kitchen duty was fine by him.

Working in the warm, firelit kitchen while the winter darkness crept upon the monastery was cozy. Priam found the repetitive motion of chopping herbs and vegetables soothing, like active meditation. He gladly lost himself in his work. That is, until one of the faculty members, in the already short staffed kitchen, had to leave due to feeling ill.

“Can you finish this?” They asked, already sounding wheezy.

Priam waved them off, nodding. “Yeah, no problem. I’ll get dinner out soon.”

The idea was meat (easy) and then soup (how hard could that be?) with bread (probably easy) or salad on the side. Priam took stock of what he’d been left with, which was his own chopped herbs, onions, and carrots, and a sink full of potatoes to be dealt with. There were other vegetables and herbs around, as well as cream and flour and he narrowed his eyes, thinking profusely.

There was no recipe in sight. Did it.. all go in? No, not every herb in the kitchen belonged in soup, right?

Fishing was boring, but as long as it took, it had to be done for the freshest ingredients. He heard a splash and some noise of concern behind him and he turned towards Dimitri, observing him staring at the end of his hook at a squid tangled up around the bait.

It wasn't morning, but his tone was cross enough for it to pass as got-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-bed hours.

Phantasmagoria arena starter for @dutybounded @elegiac-boar @keen-kin

Three new enemies appeared before them, and at the moment, they were only three team members strong. Previous taken hits still impacted them, and Rhys figured he’d have his hands full for the round with healing.

He was excited to try out wind magic too, but after the underwhelming results of the shock stick, he was alright with sticking to what he knew first.

Rhys turned towards Dimitri with a better healing staff than he’d had before in hand. “Here we go!”

Rhys Roll: 7, +4 HP to Dimitri. Dimitri HP: 4/10

A young girl from town runs up to you, tears streaming down her face. Her beloved cat has escaped and found its way into Garreg Mach! She offers you her favorite marble and a piece of candy as a reward for finding him… You can’t bring yourself to say no, and it seems like an easy enough task, anyway. Until you discover that the cat is some sort of acrobat. Pursue the renegade feline, but try not to slip off the rooftops in the process!

          It is something of a grueling affair, attempting to push, pull, and lift some of the various crates and barrels scattered about the grounds into a suitable arrangement for gaining access to the rooftops. While not dissimilar to the often-shared task of rearranging the Order’s ever-growing inventory of weapons and armor, lending its laboriousness an air of familiarity at the least, Alfonse finds himself regretting that he had neglected to seek an extra pair of hands for assistance with the heavier obstacles. A bit late for that now, when he has already shouldered most of the work on his lonesome.

          All because he had agreed — as if he would even consider refusing a plea for help — to find a girl’s missing cat.

          A heavy sigh leaves him as the Askran sets down another crate and pauses in his efforts to allow the ache in his arms a brief rest. It had only come to this in the first place because his initial attempt at apprehending the feline had led to the discovery that it was, to put it kindly, a very slippery fellow. Rather than be caught and brought back to its owner, it had bolted for the highest place it could escape to — in other words, the rooftops of the monastery buildings, leaving him no choice but to find a way up in pursuit. He couldn’t very well return to the poor girl empty-handed, after all, not when he had very much promised to do otherwise. Even if it’s earned him a handful of odd stares in the process.

          But heavens above, if “Peaches” wasn’t intent on making it as difficult as could possibly be. His reprieve having sufficiently passed, Alfonse means to resume where he had left off when he is suddenly met with the curious gaze of his house leader. “Ah. Prince Dimitri... Don’t read into it too much, please. In fact, I could actually use your assistance at this moment...”

          ❝ good, you’re still here. ❞ for his sake, she’d taken pains to cover up a bit too — no glasses like the curious ones he wore, but a cloak of her own, tying back her hair beneath the hood to hopefully keep anyone from recognizing the telltale scarlet. she was curious, yes, but could respect that this was likely more than just a back-alley hustle of the sort he made it look like. no, more than curious, in fact. being fully prepared meant knowing everything it was possible to know ahead of time, certainly more than a hasty order to meet him at the gates when she was ready to depart.

          the shadows of the alley, though a stone’s throw away from the bustling streets of the marketplace, are well-concealed, if today in part by the sheer volume of crowds moving through, making their own supply trips. it was so packed, some bystanders in an alley would hardly warrant a second glance. ❝ i know that you might not be able to explain everything, but any information you can give could be the difference between whether we come back alive or not. sir aeschylus, right? please, at least who you are, where you’re leading us, and any idea of what might be waiting. ❞

continued from here @elegiac-boar

What a relief! She had her coat and scarf to keep warm and they had food and water. Not that they were likely to wander too far from the path - a pleasant walk on the already beaten path, they should make it back in time for dinner at the lodge.

Elincia had to fight back a frown when he told her they weren’t likely to run into many animals. She’d rather not come face to face with a hungry bear but she had been hoping to enjoy seeing some of the local wildlife. If not deer and storks then perhaps starlings and rabbits. Oh well, the alpine forest was still just as beautiful regardless, even if she had gotten her hopes up.

They set off together upon the trail and a mixture of bracken and snow crunched and crackled underfoot. Swift winds battered at their cheeks turning them a rosy hue.

“Yes, I do so love flying. It’s always such a thrill. Chrysaor was my great-grandmothers and I attribute most of our success to him.” She began in reply, particularly animated. Dimitri had landed upon one of her favourite conversation topics. “The views are always glorious... except perhaps on the battlefield. The bond between rider and steed though is the truest joy. I have a little experience on horseback too, thanks to my dear friend Geoffrey. I think the two of you would get along quite well.”

“You enjoy riding too, don’t you? I’ve see you in the stables.” A wide and true smile spread across her face. “So I know you’re a good person, otherwise the horses wouldn’t like you half as much. If you ever want to try flying though, let me know. Cryssie and I would be happy to oblige.”

They continued trudging through the snow until Elincia stumbled. Falling flat on her face she groaned in embarrassment. 

✴ —— regal mien shifts into gentle surprise; a welcome hearth easily shifted and adapted from holy-king to simply a student, just as he simply is himself, not a prince or future king. deferring with respect to the representative of their house and a bit of wide mismatched eyes at the presence. 

“dimitri? oh i must admit the fault is...er, well it’s entirely mine. truly, i should have spoken with you earlier! i assure you it was not out of dislike or spite by any means...but you are here now, so perhaps this is meant! “ she laughs a bit; gentle and kind as she blinks once or twice owlishly at his presents. “may i help y---?” how her eyes briefly dilate in shock; mouth briefly parted.

“this...dimitri i knew you were a kind heart but this? “ she could not spurn his gentle kindness; for his own formidable strength in battle; the warrior and long time commander of untold times could not help but find herself baffled that for a first time meeting, he had gone such lengths to bless her with gifts you would give someone you had been close to ages ago. 

did his generosity know little bounds?! in this moment she looks a baffled girl; the quiet, regal composure utterly gone and almost comical as she holds the blade and reaches for the chocolates almost tentatively. 

“ ... i truly don’t know what to say. no, no, not in disappointment but... “ as she fingers the blade, softly remarking, it is so very fine dimitri, you honor me, and these chocolates look so fine! i hope they did not burden you much on coin!

“ ... i feel so utterly honored. you did not meet me yet immediately you treat me as someone worthy of such irreplaceable gifts. without any interactions, you saw fit to gift me with kindness. even if you had given nothing, spoke nothing, my respect as you being our house leader and honorable would not change. but.. this blade...may i have your permission to use it? and these chocolates i simply must insist you have one. unless you are ah, perhaps not fond of sweets.” 

looking a bit sheepish but her face in full brightness, like a blinding star of baffled joy; the veteran warrior beams at him. “ how blessed i am that our truest and first meeting you would give me such gifts, even if your kindness or a hello is more than enough.... apologies, i’m still a bit stunned.” she looks a bit sheepish ( a rare feat! ) before she quietly murmurs, “dimitri please stay here a moment. i have something for you as well. “ 

walking into her room, the exalt returns with a small plate of sliced cake from her own birthday cake rhys and maria had gifted her with. a boon she will simply must return at the proper time. her smile is as warm as a sunburst and equal measures genuine as she brightens at him firm yet soft voice holding no authority nor stoicism but pure gratitude.

“ dimitri, unless cake sits ill with you, professor rhys and princess maria have given so much kindness today. i would feel quite selfish if i kept this massive bit of my birthday cake to myself! if it please you, would you ... “ she looks a bit quiet, something unspoken: she has not celebrated in a long, long time. 

“ .. would you like to share in some of my birthday cake? meeting now i think is as good a time as ever to at the very least, if time is willing with your duties, enjoy how pleasant spring fares with us.” a beat, before quietly, but no less touched, almost jarred, one of his lions murmurs.

+1 Sword Starter for @elegiac-boar

The gallery hall.

Priam had his doubts about the rumor of the mysterious thief. For one thing, saying a masked bandit stole your textbooks and homework was hedging on too convenient to be true. Not that Priam would ever do such a thing himself, as he did everything in life with zeal, but he could see the temptation for those who were fainter of heart. Blame the castle homework ghost for dropping your bookbag in the wyvern feed trough.

Still. If there was a shred of truth to these crimes committed disproportionately against tree fiber bearing students, he figured he could sort it out easily.

He casually paced down the gallery hall, sword grip in hand. Though he was on alert, his shoulders were loose and he strolled with confidence. Whoever may be lurking was in for a surprise if they were expecting a meek or inexperienced student to loot.

To his surprise, he did hear something in the otherwise stillness of the night.

Clanking footsteps.

He felt himself grinning before he even realized it, pulse quickening. Those were the sounds of armored boots coming his way. Priam readied his sword. The hallway turned into a corner mere meters from himself, and while he could wait to ambush the armored thief, he could also just dash around and bring the attack to them on his own terms.

Priam obviously chose the later,

“HYAAA!” he boomed, springing around the corner, sword raised and clasped in both hands. He took a split second to register the unmasked face in front of him, blade stopping midway through its swing as his feet stilled against the floor, freezing.