Shards of Light - Part II

Verdant Plains - 


 * ''The Verdant Plains is the collective name given to the regions of wide, open, and generally unremarkable grasslands and prairies that cover a large majority of Fastheld's central and southern geography, such as the rolling vista of green that reaches out across this particular area.


 * ''They are regions of relatively low relief where the vegetation is dominated by verdant grasses and other herbaceous plants, with the occasional shrub or tree adding a touch of variety to an otherwise endless ocean of short grasses, gentle slopes, and low rises.


 * ''The Verdant Plains are generally indistinguishable from each other, and though overland travel across them is usually easy going, it is often difficult to get an accurate bearing on your current location, given the utter lack of any real landmarks to use as a reference point.


 * ''Both flora and fauna alike are bountiful in these regions of land, making them excellent prowling grounds for hunters and rangers alike. They also make for excellent horse country, or as a place to seek retreat from the rest of the world when one needs to lose themselves in nature, though offer little shelter from the elements.


 * ''For the most part, it seems like the plains roll away in every direction, and whatever rests beyond the horizon is fit to be discovered by exploration if one does not have a map on hand.

"I will try..." Naoi responds, as they walk along the road. "No promises though, mmm."

Jessyn cocks her head at Naoi, curious and thoughtful. "Oh? Something the matter?" Ava and Myria have taken the lead as they hear the camp, speaking together in low voices. Doubtless, they're not paying attention to Jessyn and Naoi, as well as keeping their own conversation masked.

"Ah, well, promises of biting aside? Not particularly, Jessyn, just... lingering ji-" She pauses, considering then, and for some reason? A hint of truth is spilled. "I saw a woman that I lost my heart too in the crowd. It just shook me is all, reminded me of it, what was denied. I do not know. I had thought I had moved on, but it's true what bards say. Sometimes the heart never really does."

"Oh?" Jessyn lifts her eyebrows at that, but offers a slight nod. "I... I understand. There were things I had to give up, too, to join those who fight for the Light. It is not an easy decision, is it? But be firm, Naoi, in the confidence that it is the *right* one. You will be all right, in time." She smiles. "Who was she?"

Naoi snorts at that, "Of course there are sacrifices, that is to be expected, but... I did not sacrifice anything. I was dejected. Tell you what. I will give a name, if you tell me what it is you gave up yourself."

Jessyn offers Naoi a gentle squeeze with that arm that still hangs about the other woman's shoulders. It's meant to be comforting. "All right. I'll tell you." Yet she hesitates a moment before continuing. "My mother was a 'lady of the evening', as they call them. My brother... she said once that he was not my brother at all--he certainly looked nothing like me--but he was my kin, more than she, more than any of four men I was taught to call 'father'. I vowed to get him away from there, before I joined the Church... but it never happened." She sighs. "He was my sacrifice, and I hated myself for a long time for it, before I found my salvation in my work."

Naoi's own arm rises, and this time, the embrace is returned. Arm in arm, as it was. "I never knew my parents. I was told they gave me to the Church, after the Second Wildling War, when Eastwatch was nearly burned to the ground. For my protection, but it was a long time before I forgave them thier decision. I do not know if they are still even alive. Your brother, what was his name?"

"A name for a name. That is fair," Jessyn says quietly. "His name was Saunin. Saunin Candleglow."

"Diasa Silverwing," Naoi responds, offering a smile. "You miss him still, do you not?"

Jessyn blows out a sigh, looking ahead of them as they walk into the camp. "I do. He is still my kin, whatever happened to him. I still... regret that I could not help him, though I do not rue the choice I made. And you, I guess you still miss Diasa, after today?"

"I would say so." Naoi responds, "The heart never really forgets. You just learn to carry on the pain." There. Naoi reaches up, and fusses the back of Jessyn's hair. "I am surprised Rilan finds me so fascinating, with you about. Or has he tried to get you to take his cat's place as well?"

"Hey!" Jessyn shakes her hair, but seems more amused than bothered by Naoi's mussing. "Rilan finds just about everybody interesting. He has tried. He... changed his mind." She shrugs.

Ahead of them, Ava and Myria have reached the little hut, where they wait for the other two to catch up. The key swings from its leather thong in Ava's hand.

"Strange that, for a man that supposedly lost the means to make anything out of a relationship." Naoi responds with tempered amusement. She falls silent as they near, dropping her arm from Jessyn's shoulder, and clasping hands behind her back.

Jessyn likewise releases Naoi, mirth scarce concealed as she meets Myria's disapproving gaze. She clears her throat, running the tip of her tongue across dry lips. Ava only looks faintly amused as she unlocks the door and stands back for the other three to enter before her.

Naoi simply slips on ahead, martial air about her once more, though once she is in the hut she reaches up to pull her veil and hood back down once more.

The others quickly follow. Shut and lock the front door. Open back. Through again. Shut and lock. The ritual is routine by now, and Ava scarcely has to pay attention to what she's doing to manage it. Within the bleak tunnels once again, she takes a torch from the wall and assumes her regular position at the head of the group, which is forced to fall into single file behind her by the narrow walls.

Which would make Naoi second in line, behind Ava, one hand resting on the wall on her right. Once again, she attempts to recall the twist and turns, and compare them to her trip out.

Jessyn falls into step behind Naoi, with Myria close on her heels at the tail end of the party. It's not a formation that's particularly conducive to conversation, which eventually dies as they proceed into the darkness.

The silence stretches, as they all traverse the tunnels, Naoi eventully giving up trying to recall the details. Instead, she focuses on the fire ahead of her, following Ava.

There's a certain tiredness about the group on the return journey, and it takes a little longer. Or is it something else that takes longer? Whatever the reason, it's quite some time before Ava finally reaches the door and removes The Key, inserting it into the lock with a faint scraping sound and twisting it. The mechanism clicks, and grates out of the way to allow the door to swing open and moonlight to stream in past Ava.

Naoi blinks, staring out into the moonlight over Ava's shoulder.

Inner Ward - 


 * ''Cradled in high, tawny stone walls the inner ward of Sun's Keep has the busy, permanent look of a small town. Solid stone buildings of one, two, and even three stories rise up from its cobblestoned yard, the barracks lining three walls and more buildings clustered near to High Sun Gate. Sturdy and decorated only by the golden color of the native stone these give way near the northern center of the yard for the dizzying, gold and jewelled glass visage of Enduring Light Cathedral. The four colours of that jewelled glass, violet, green, blue, and yellow, are echoed on the four pennants graven with sunbursts which flap from corner turrets atop the walls.


 * ''The safety of this place is abuzz with activity: clanking Shadowscourges singly or in trios, atop horses or walking; chainmailed novices and disciples hurrying every which way at once with some semblance of dignity to their expressions; sunburnt initiates in often dirty white tunics carrying their chorework hither and tither; and the silent gliding forms of robed and cowled

Shadowbanes predominate.


 * ''This holy ground is the center of the Church's military might and it fairly radiates confidence and righteousness amidst the incense and horse dung that scents it.

Ava steps outside, standing aside to let the others pass and reaching up to rub at the back of her neck.

Naoi follows, knuckling her back herself, eyebrows shifting up as she looks around the Keep. "Home, sweet home..."

Jessyn ducks out of the tunnel on Naoi's heels, smiling a bit as she looks to Naoi. "Exactly."

An instant later, Myria emerges, but she hardly waits the time it takes for Ava to step in and shut the door before setting off across the Inner Ward, towards the Refectory.

"I suppose I should be considering bed myself... where are you off too?" That is for Jessyn, as Ava is the superior here, and where she goes is..? Well, frankly, none of Naoi's business.

"Mm..." Jessyn looks up to the sky, contemplating the moons for a moment and lacing her fingers together behind her back. "I will go to the training hall, I think. To wind down before bed."

Naoi considers, "I may join you, but first, certainly... I am going to want to change." She chuckles, plucking at the robe, heading for the refectory as well.

Jessyn nods absently, plucking at her own Freelander garb and shrugging. "You are welcome to, if you like. You know where to find me if you decide you want to join." With a smile, she sets off in that direction.

Practice Yard - 


 * ''This wide U-shaped courtyard occupied the space between barracks and

three of the four inner walls of the Sun's Keep. Four turrets loom over it, one set into each corner of the wall, and a small cluster of buildings houses the smithy and the armory here. All in the orders militant have spent hour after painful long hour here under the tutelage of older Shadowbanes and Shadowscourges, schooling in the art of the fight. The rough cobblestones and sanded squares bear the blood of many, and variously shaped practice dummies of straw-stuffed leather show the brunt of ensuing wrath.


 * ''On most days the practice yard is alive with people of all ages and

stages of training working singly or in groups; it's a clatter of weapons and shouts looked over both by suprvisors and by the silent, brooding stone of the turrets which open off it, and whose doors are limited to Shadowbanes alone.

After changing, and likely being the recepient of a cold shoulder from Myria, Naoi returns to the practice yard.

Jessyn is already there, having stripped off most of her Freelander clothing for just the trousers and blouse. Her feet are barefoot, finding easy purchase on the bare ground. She clutches a quarterstaff in her hand, practicing diligently with it. The movements are slow and deliberate, nearly dance-like, and certainly efficient.

Naoi spots the woman, truth be told, wouldn't it be hard not too? The keep has been all but abandoned. So, the former Ordinator angles toward the woman, hands clasped behind her back. "Needed to wind down, you said?"

Jessyn grins, giving the staff a final flourish before planing the bronze-capped butt firmly in the ground. "Yes... this helps me to relax, I suppose."

"You suppose? Physical exhaustion can lead to cleared mind. That is one reason why we are trained so hard. Or was..." Naoi responds, approaching, only pausing to take up a staff of her own. "I'm 1-1 at the moment, if you are curious. I am afraid that I am not the greatest fighter."

Jessyn smiles, laying her staff flat in her hands. "Do you want to duel? I will spar, if you like. I thought you were tired, though?"

"I can go for a spar and a clear mind." Naoi responds, lifting her staff and holding it out in front of her for inspection with one hand.

Jessyn switches her staff into a fighting position, hands placed evenly on either side of the center, and takes up her stance. "You're on, Sister Cloth.

"How is it you know my last name and I do not know yours, Sister?" Naoi responds with a faint smile, before coming forward with an aggressive low thrust for her hip.

"Ah, but you do know my name," Jessyn reminds, flipping her staff around and just barely deflecting Naoi's blow. "Did you forget so quickly? I hear they have tea for bad memories, now." She grins, swinging her staff around to aim at Naoi's ribs.

Thwack! Naoi grunts, the momentum of the blow forcing her a step to the left, quickly rising up her guard once more. "Jessyn is your whole name?" It seems somewhat doubful, and her tone expresses as much, even as she strikes again, another low thrust.

"No, of course not!" Jessyn laughs, but the momentary distraction costs her the deflection of this blow, and Naoi lands a hit on her upper thigh, sending a wince across her face. "Candleglow. My brother and I both took my mother's name."

"Oh, I see... for some reason, when you said... well no matter." Naoi responds, smiling in victory as she returns blow for blow, keeping up the attack since Jessyn is off-balanced and talking. A sweeping blow, aimed for the staff, in an attempt to disarm.

Jessyn snorts. "No," she says simply. "Not like that." Knocking Naoi's blow away, she aims her own for one of those moving wrists.

Naoi shifts her grip, blocking the blow with her staff, and pushes down and forward with a driving motion, more or less matching her strength against the woman's.

Jessyn grunts, clashing her staff with Naoi's and pushing with all the weight she can put behind it. Back braced, heels lifted slightly off the ground... it is not enough, and after a moment Naoi's forward press forces her back and down onto the ground, breathing heavily. "Not a good fighter my foot," she mutters.

Naoi taps Jessyn's cheek with the edge of her staff, chuckling, leaning forward and offering her hand to help the woman up. "Luck, I am afraid. That was fun."

Jessyn smiles, reaching up to accept that hand and hauling herself to her feet. "Pah. You don't give yourself enough credit. And yes, it was fun."

Naoi nods, turning around to set her staff on the nearest rack, quietly.

Jessyn's staff joins Naoi's a moment later. "Feel better now?"

"A little," Naoi admits quietly, looking down. "Yourself? Clearmind and tired body?"

"Better," Jessyn agrees. "Much better. I won't dream tonight, I think."

"You usually do?" Naoi responds, looking over to Jessyn, eyebrow up.

"If I am not tired, I do," Jessyn agrees with a nod. "You do not?"

"Not usually." Naoi responds, shaking her head. "Though... when I have, they've been of the bizarre variety." She smiles, "So, you never did say what it is you did to make Rilan change his mind."

Jessyn smiles wryly. "That, I think, is a story for another day. Or maybe you can coax it out of Rilan. He is sometimes willing enough to talk about me." She rolls her eyes, indicating exasperation.

Naoi chortles, reaching forward and clapping Jessyn's shoulder. "Fair enough, though? I would be doing you a discourtesy, discussing it behind your back. Then again, I would be doing Rilan one, this way. Difficult choices. What is it I would need to do to coax it out of you?"

"Oh, it's my secret, not his," Jessyn says with a bit of a smile. "You don't need to fear that. Perhaps... only to wait. I met you this evening, did I not?"

"You did." Naoi admits. "I will beat down my curiosity then, and not bring it up until you are ready to share." She half-bows, then turns to go.

Jessyn returns the bow. "Rest well, Naoi."

Return to Season 8 (2008)