Lightstar Family/Adaria/Roleplay 18
Tearjerking Rumors
Adaria could not sleep that night, but she was starting to become accustomed to taking naps in the afternoon, after her strange experience in prison. Thus, she found herself walking with no direction through her camp in Ipsosez, nodding absently to the soldiers who greeted her respectfully but really paying them no attention. As chance would have it, her meanderings took her within earshot of the central campfire, around which the majority of her unit were sitting. They seemed to be swapping tales and rumours, gossiping like old ladies, even, one could daresay.
"Did ya guys hear about dat noble who got hisself killed?! 'Twas ova in Aydairn or Upelen, one o' da two!"
"Seriously? Whoa! That's crazy stuff man!"
"Yep, got dat right! Brave Ser Kenshway... faught ever so gallantry!"
"You mean gallant-ly?"
"Hey now, don't ya be makin' fun o' me!"
"Alright, alright, sorry man. Please continue!"
"Righto. So dere were three o' them units facin' off..."
Adaria gasped at the words that she had overheard, feeling suddenly numb. Unwilling to hear any more, the girl dashed off into the night. How could it be? Her brave Sir Kenshue... dead? Yet what else could the soldier's words have meant?
With a choking sob, she soon fell down to the grass and curled up into a ball, tears running freely into the ground. It was all too much to bear, for no news regarding the situation in the south had yet reached her since her release.
For the first time in her life, Adaria cried herself to sleep.
(Roleplay from Kenshue Kazukin)
A young sickly looking peasant boy, walked around the stronghold of Ipsosez. He had dirt on his face and clothes as if he just returned from the mines, yet to young to actually work them. A tickle hit his nose, and as he wiped it to clear the itch, it only left more dirt from his hand on his face. As he walked around, headed in no direction at all he stumbled across a noble girl who looked to be sleeping in a puddle of her own tears. Normally he knew better to bother a noble, but he was a curious young boy.
He shook the shoulder of the young noble girl and said, “Excuse me, mi’lady, is everything okay?”
Mumbling drearily to herself as she was shaken out of her newest nightmare, Adaria blinked a few times in confusion. Looking up, she saw a small, dark figure staring down at her as the question was asked. The girl propped herself up on one elbow to get a better look at the boy.
"Wha.. huh? Who?"
Adaria wiped at her tear-streaked face as she tried to get her bearings. Then, she smiled wistfully at the young peasant and ignored his inquiry.
"Hi there... what are you doing out and about so late, little one? Your mother must be worried about you."
(Roleplay from Kenshue Kazukin)
The boy looked on, and as he heard Adaria mention about how his mother would be worried about him, a tear roll down his face, clearing a distinctive line from the dirt that was in it’s path.
“My mother is no longer with us,” the young boy said, as he bowed his head in sadness, “I was delivering food, my sister made, to my father who is working in the mines. My name is Coll, and I was just curious if everything was okay, or if you needed anything.”
"Oh..." frowned the young noble. Rising up slowly, Adaria brushed some grass off herself and then grabbed the boy's hand to give it a brief squeeze.
"You're a nice boy, Coll. You know, I could use a walk to ease my mind. Let me walk you home to your sister."
The boy tilted his head, wondering why this lady didn't want to tell him whether she was okay or not. Finally, he surmised that she wasn't okay but didn't want to admit it to him, being a noble and all, so he stopped asking.
After some silence, Adaria suddenly blurted out, "Tell me, have you ever heard of Sir Kenshue?"
(Roleplay from Rebbec Kazukin)
“Kenshue…” the young peasant said, as he thought to himself, “I have a friend Ken, but he doesn’t have any shoes.”
Coll wasn’t sure where the noble was going with asking.
“His mom bought him mittens for the winter though.” Coll continued, just glad to see her speaking “Why do you ask?”
She giggled at the boy's cute remarks, even though her mood still bordered on depression.
"Oh, I was wondering if you had heard any news about the war... A friend of mine was fighting down there, and I think something terrible happened to him..."
Adaria's eyes watered again, and she quickly bit her lower lip to hold back a sob. Clearing her throat, she continued, "Maybe your sister has heard something?"
(Roleplay from Kenshue Kazukin)
Coll looked up at the young noble, "I knew there was a war going on, but I'm to young for them to tell me anything." He said, as he bowed his head, feeling useless, "my sister may of heard something from the locals though, my house is close, you can ask her when we get there"
Coll grabbed hold of Adaria's hand, to coach her into walking faster.
"Come on!" he said, as they both trotted towards a small village.
The two stopped at a small hut along the path, and Coll pointed it out as his own. He walked up, and knocked on the door, as it opened, a girl, no older than Adaria stood in front of them.
"Now what trouble has young Coll caused now?" The peasant girl asked the young noble.
Adaria smiled back reassuringly as she brushed some black hair behind an ear.
"Oh no, no trouble at all, heh!" She patted Coll's head before continuing, "This nice fellow found me sleeping outside and asked if I was okay. The least I could do was walk him home."
The noble paused a moment, as if unsure whether she really wanted confirmation of Kenshue's demise. But she had to know for certain.
"Also, I was hoping to learn some news of the war raging to the south, and Coll said you might have heard something..." She took a deep, steadying breath. "Specifically, something about Sir Kenshue."
(Roleplay from Kenshue Kazukin)
"Thank you kindly" the peasant girl said, as she looked down at Coll who was dirty, "go clean yourself off Coll, and head to bed."
Coll hurried off, and the girl stood, ready to answer Adaria's question.
"Sorry if he was actually any trouble." the peasant girl mentioned, "we've been trying to keep any word of the war out of Coll's head, he's so young. As for what I've heard, many have been wounded on both sides, and word spread amongst the peasants about a Soliferum hero being killed by one of our very own knights. That is all I've heard."
Breathing a loud sigh of relief, Adaria leaned heavily against the open doorway with her eyes closed. She whispered softly, "I thought I lost you..." Then, the noble smiled and stepped forwards to hug the peasant tightly for the valuable information. Too stunned to immediately reply, Coll's sister could only nod as Adaria thanked her with fresh tears running down her cheeks. She turned to leave, but a nagging thought gave her pause and made her ask another question.
"So you haven't heard any rumours that one of our own knights fell in battle?"
(Roleplay from Kenshue Kazukin)
"One of our knights fell in battle?" The peasant girl said, curious as to what this noble may know. "I haven't heard anything of this, what can you tell me, so I can inform the others!"
Adaria blinked a few times.
"Err... no, I surely hope not! I overheard the men under my command talking about a battle in which a noble was killed, but it must be the same one that you mentioned. I didn't hear enough to be certain though, but I'm sure our knights are safe. I'll try to find out more from my unit tomorrow. Take care, miss."
The courtier smiled again to the peasant girl and turned to leave.
