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Post by Al-Cid, Rakesh, Paloma, Mateo on Dec 6, 2012 16:35:03 GMT -5
Paloma smiled at Edgar’s enthusiasm about the birds, and at the comparison that he made between them and humanity. “I admit, I’ve not thought about chocobos, specifically, in that way... but I do understand the sentiment, if only under a different context.” Paloma chewed on her lower lip, in thought, as she leaned back in her seat. She did not seem to take notice of Edgar’s arm at her shoulders--or much of anything else, for that matter.
Edgar’s words had struck a cord.
Ivalice was a world filled with a many different people--not only of nation or creed, but of species as well. It is only through the realization of such similarities that peaceful coexistence was maintained, even if that peace is, at times, tenuous. Unfortunately, not all wished to see others like themselves, and there were those who held on to prejudices against that which was not of their own ilk. Although it was no longer as large a problem as it had been in centuries past, attitudes still existed. While Paloma, having parents from rivalling empires, may have been granted a little perspective on the matter, her type of mixed heritage is something fairly common. Rarer, however, is there a child born from the likes of a hume and non. Even in these days, not many view such unions in kindness, and there are those who are quick to throw harsh words. And while adults may hold their tongue, children can be especially cruel; but, her Mateo, he seemed to weather it with such aplomb...
Paloma blinked when she noticed Edgar whispering in her ear, and smiled weakly when he told her not to lose hope, “Alright.”
She then inhaled with a sniff, and returned her attention to the race. That attention, though, soon drifted toward Edgar.
He seems to really like chocobo racing--really like it. Paloma couldn’t help a small chuckle escape at the sight of the king as he leaned over, attention rapt. His childlike enthusiasm was an amusing sight that Paloma would not have expected to see from someone of nobility. Perhaps illfoundedly, she had always been under the impression that noblemen were more inclined toward putting on a pretense of indifference and superiority when around commoners-- especially the foreign ones (admittedly, to their national embarrassment or not, Rozarria’s own were well known for being far less reserved). As for Edgar, although his manner of speech reminded her greatly of the Archadians, he beheld nothing akin to their elitism and general stuffiness. Rather, she found his casual straightforwardness to be both calming and disarming, even if a bit odd for someone of his station. Perhaps, it was by this oddity that Paloma was starting to find Edgar to be rather charming. Then there was his altruism--his willingness to personally involve himself of her plight, despite the damage that had been done to his own property. It reminded her of the more romantic fables--tales of valiant knights setting out to help damsels in distress. Too bad he wore his hair a like a women--it totally ruined the image.
And then Edgar was asking how she’d done, and Paloma blinked. Looking back toward the races, she realized that they had finished. She looked up at the screen to find the results, and found that the green had taken lead.
“Well... What do you know...” She smirked, “Mine won.”
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Post by Beebee on Dec 7, 2012 22:57:55 GMT -5
Edgar was pleased that Paloma at least listened to him. Too many people saw him as simply a king who had nothing important to say. While it was true sometimes, and most of the women he met seemed to think so, Paloma made him feel like a person...not just a title. It was rare, and it was most definitely a welcome feeling. He hadn't missed her laugh as he paid close attention to the end of the race, and his own lips quirked in a grin. As he looked back in her direction he found her staring at him, though she didn't seem to really be looking at him.
Once he prompted her, she seemed to come back to herself, only to tell him that the chocobo she had picked was the winner. His mouth dropped open in surprise, and he shot her a playful glare. "Beginner's luck. Won't happen again." he said with a smirk of his own, before moving back to place a bet for the next race - a short one this time. Instead of staying for the five races he had intended on, he decided to head back early with Paloma. She didn't seem as interested as he had hoped. Oh well, it isn't for everybody.
It was later than he thought, so instead of trying to kill more time he led the way back to their rooms. Keeping close to Paloma, partially to offer support and partially because...well...he wanted to...eventually they made it to her door. But there was a problem. I don't want the night to end here like this. Hesitating at the doorway, he shot Paloma a glance and his silent wish was thankfully granted as he was invited in for tea. The king followed her into her room, and took a seat on the chair in the corner. He wasn't about to be presumptuous enough to sit on the bed, and possibly have her misunderstand. Therefore, the chair it was.
Edgar clasped his hands in his lap and waited patiently for Paloma. "So...I have to admit...I'm more than a little curious..." Tilting his head with a small smile, he sincerely hoped what he was about to ask wasn't a taboo subject. Otherwise, his night was finished. "...but is Mateo's father...is he still alive?" And if so, where is he? "I just don't normally see a beautiful woman traveling alone with her son." he finished with a wink. He may have been slightly teasing, but it was true nonetheless.
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Post by Al-Cid, Rakesh, Paloma, Mateo on Dec 8, 2012 11:22:21 GMT -5
Asking Edgar had asked Edgar into her room, for tea, on impulse. She hadn’t particularly felt like being alone at the moment, and his company had been pleasant. When he had paused at her door and given her that look, the question was out before she thought better of it. Yet, it wasn’t until they were actually within her room that Paloma realized there was not anything available with which to brew tea. Or, at least, not anything that she rightly knew how to use. There was a glass pot-thing on one of the counters, but its gadgetry was unfamiliar. And although she could tell that is was meant for the preparation of some form of beverage, Paloma was unsure how to work the thing.
When Edgar had seated himself upon a chair in the corner and asked her about Mateo’s father, Paloma decided that he tea was probably a lost cause, for the moment, and followed suit.
As she crossed the room, Paloma gave Edgar a small smile and a short laugh, though it seemed a mixture of embarrassment and mirth, “True enough, raising a son without a father--especially one part vieran--has been a challenge. Half the time, I feel as though I have no clue what I’m doing... but I hope that I’ve been managing well enough. Still, my parents urge me to find a father for him, but not many suitors are wanting of an old maid who comes with a child born out of wedlock."
Paloma paused a moment as she took a seat on the corner of the bed closest to where Edgar was seated, before she added, “As for Mateo’s father... No, he is not alive. He had died before Mateo was born.” At Edgar’s look, Paloma hesitated a moment before deciding to elaborate, “Mateo’s father had been a rogue, a bounty hunter, that I had ran with during a more... rebellious time in my youth. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the best of ideas on my part; but, I had a thing for adventures and bad boys, and he, he was very much both of those. We worked together for about two years before I learned that one cannot live that kind of vagabond life without consequence. When one of his hunts turned out to be his last, I decided to give up that life and return home. It wasn’t much longer before I found out about Mateo.”
Mateo’s father was a tough spot for Paloma, and one she did not want to talk about in the beginning. Years later, it was still not one of her favorite subjects, but with Mateo’s own curiosity about his father, she’d had to find her words. Though for her son, those worse were highly edited. There were things she did not want him to know about, lest he get any ideas. To Edgar, she gave the general gist of things. Still...
Paloma inhaled, wanting to change gears and topic. Glancing across the room, she looked back over toward the pot-thing, before returning her gaze to Edgar. She gave him an embarrassed smile, though one that seemed a touch too sly at the same time, and stated, “Here I am, having just invited you in for tea, and I find that I’ve nothing to prepare any with. A bit of a problem, I should think. There’s that pot over there, but I’m not really sure how it works. I hate to ask this of my guest, but have you any idea what to do with it?”
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Post by Beebee on Dec 8, 2012 20:36:50 GMT -5
Part Viera? Then that means Mateo's father is a... "You aren't an 'old maid'. Quite the opposite. The fact that you run your own ship should be proof enough!" he said with a small laugh. No, she really is an engaging young lady. "They are all most likely just intimidated by you." He turned and leaned his arm on the back of his chair as Paloma came closer and perched on the bed. The king was a little saddened to hear about the boy's father being dead, though in all honesty he expected it. There were too many broken families about, most due to war or sickness. It was rare to find two separated parents both alive. His level of respect for Paloma grew after hearing a little bit more about her life. Not necessarily the part about the boy's father, but everybody made bad choices in life. It was a given. It was how you dealt with those choices afterwards that defined who you were. Paloma was dealt a difficult situation, and she made the best of it. She was a devoted mother, she worked hard commanding her crew, and it seemed like she made a decent living for herself and her son.
Edgar blinked in surprise at the subject change, but assumed it was difficult to talk about Mateo's father (or Mateo). He smiled back at her before rising gracefully to his feet and making his way over to the teapot. "You know, I've never done it myself. But...it can't be that hard to figure out." he said with a hand on his chin as he studied the small machine. I work with machines. I can find out how this works. He couldn't help feeling more than a little excited to figure out how a piece of machinery worked, and once he started tinkering with it a little he found a small switch at the base. "Ah ha!" Flicking the switch, he saw the base light up, and tilted his head curiously. Now what?
Turning back to Paloma he let out a small laugh. "Well, it's a start at least!" He could remember having drinks here in the past, but somebody else had always brewed it for him. This time he would have to rely on himself, and in all honesty he preferred it that way. "So..." he started, as he moved away from the slowly heating pot and stood in front of Paloma with his arms crossed, a teasing smile on his lips. "Not a fan of the races, are you?" He hadn't missed her disinterest in the race, though she admittedly did have something more urgent on her mind.
"I love chocobos." he said unnecessarily. It was likely very obvious, but he had such a fondness for the massive birds. There was a reason they were used by his soldiers, and it wasn't simply because they were convenient. Intelligence, speed, stamina, personality, they were all important to have in mounts, and in friends. "The fact that they come in more colours than I imagined is simply a perk." he said with a wink, before turning back to check on the progress of their water. Touching a hand to the metal, he wasn't expecting it to be so hot so quickly, and yanked his hand back with a hiss as his fingers burnt slightly. "Guess it's working!" he said with a laugh as he shook his hand to disperse the pain.
It wasn't boiling yet, though. Just heating up really fast. Edgar ducked down around the surface it was on, trying to find out how the machine worked. "Machines too." he admitted, though it was slightly muffled as his head was facing down behind the machine, spotting a cord coming out of the machine and wondering where it went. "There are so many different types, that all do different things. All with different levels of efficiency. And varying degrees of difficulty to use them. It's fun to learn about them all, and use them, and make them." He was rambling now, and needed to stop.
Letting out a laugh, he straightened up and turned back to Paloma. Some strands of hair had pulled free of his tie and fell in front of his face, and he swiped at them irritatedly. "If you want, when we get back to your ship, I can give you and Mateo a tour of the castle. A proper one, instead of just wandering around and stumbling on everything." He wasn't sure how much of his castle she had seen, but she likely hadn't been paying attention to anything other than finding her son. "If you'd like." he finished with a shrug and a smile. The pot started to boil and he turned back to it, searching through the cupboards for some cups. There were a few different flavours of tea available, and he pulled them down beside the pot. "Nearly ready."
After readying his own tea, he allowed Paloma to make her own. He would have offered, but he assumed she was already embarrassed enough at having him figure out the kettle situation. Shooting her a small smile and a nod towards the kettle, he moved back to his chair and took a seat. As casual as he was with his words, he couldn't ignore the way he had been raised, and sipped his tea carefully. He couldn't ignore manners, at least not completely. There was no slurping, no gulping, the only sound that came from the king was the clicking from the cup hitting the saucer when it was lowered. "So tell me a bit more about yourself, Paloma. How is it that you make a living? Are you a merchant? Or perhaps a courier? Maybe even a pirate." he joked with a wink. Though it would be exciting! "I'm afraid there is very little of interest that I could tell you about me, so that leaves you."
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Post by Al-Cid, Rakesh, Paloma, Mateo on Dec 9, 2012 16:11:24 GMT -5
When Edgar commented her her behavior at the races, Paloma shrugged her shoulders and offered a smile, “A fan? Not as much, I’ve had a bit on my mind today. But all the colors, they were quite pretty.”
Paloma watched Edgar with some amusement as he tinkered with the pot. It was an interesting to find that, similar to his behavior at the chocobo races, he seemed more at ease with himself when he was working with his hands, as well--and stray thought wondered what else he could do with those. All those small nicks and calluses that she had noticed on his hands when she first met Edgar were starting to make sense. They had stuck her as odd at the time; now, as he made quick work with figuring out the pot worked (and burning himself in the process), she could guess the cause more easily. Recalling his radar back at the castle, and the other gadgetry she saw his staff using, and seeing now as he talked of is interested in learning how they worked, she could tell that he obviously had a talent for engineering. So, she wondered just how skilled of one he was.
Paloma nodded when he offered a tour of his castle, “I’d like that. I think mateo too. He is a little bit of a tinkerer himself... I’d sure it would make his day to see your machines, especially. I wouldn’t leave him alone with any, though. He has a habit of cannibalizing gadgetry into toys... Like this one time he disassembled the airship’s newly installed gyroscope...” Paloma paused and scrunched her nose as she tried to remember, “I’m not sure what it was supposed to be exactly, but it had left the moogles in a tiff for a week.”
After Edgar had made his tea, Paloma rose to make her own. Once she had a warm cup in hand, she returned to her perch on the corner of the bed. She crossed one leg over the other, and set the up on her knee when she was not drinking. Suffice to say, her etiquette wasn’t as refined as Edgar’s, and although she did try to match the quietness, there might have been a few gulps and a slurp along the way.
Paloma chuckled when Edgar made guesses about her profession, while also commenting that he himself would be a little interest to talk about. “You are right on two accounts; although, there was a time when I wanted to be a sky pirate, that was just child’s play. Professionally, I am a merchant and courier, but not as independent in business as you might have been lead to assume. The trading company I work for is my father’s... the ship, too. I’m simply a captain in his merchant fleet.” Then, a coy smile crossed her lips as she amended, “Well, a captain that does occasionally wear a secondary or tertiary hat as manager of the company’s imperial military contracts or as a foreign trade negotiator.”
Paloma then took another sip of her tea, before resting her cup back against her knee. “Now Edgar,” she smirked toothily, “Since I’ve told you a little about myself. I should think it’s your turn. An industrious man such as yourself, I am sure would have an interesting story to tell. But,” she paused, trying to work out how she wanted to pose a question that had been nagging at the back of her mind. “I do wonder... about you traveling personally with me on this search. I appreciate it, I do. And you have been very kind. But, do you not still have duties to keep at your castle? And your queen? What would she think of you traveling with a strange woman?”
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Post by Beebee on Dec 11, 2012 18:24:53 GMT -5
Edgar's eyes lit up when Palmoa mentioned that Mateo liked toying with machines as well. He always enjoyed being around others who held similar interests to him, and he couldn't deny that a particular thought crossed his mind. If Mateo was interested in his machinery, Paloma would stick around. He liked her, and even though it wasn't under the best circumstances that they found themselves traveling together, he was thankful for it nonetheless. "Well even if he were to take something apart, I'm sure between the two of us we can put it back together again." he said confidently, winking slyly at her with a small laugh. The king was pleased when Paloma gave him a little more information about herself, answering his questions patiently. "That seems like honourable work. Assuming you run jobs for the right people." he said with another small laugh. "Though working for your father must be good. Less stressful, I hope, knowing that you have a job with him. Though, if you have a rocky relationship with him, maybe not." The way she spoke made it seem like things were ok with him, unless he completely missed any negativity in her tone. Edgar blinked in surprise when the subject returned to him. He waited for Paloma to finish her question in full (and it came as a surprise when the subject of his queen came up). His eyebrows rose in shock, and he couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of him. "That...is an interesting question, my lady." he started. The blonde man glanced around the room as he thought of how best to answer her question. He wasn't deliberately stalling, just wondering what to say. "Part of my duties as king include traveling to other countries, and forging bonds of a sort with the ruling parties there. It's been quite some time since I've been to Rabanastre, and I could likely benefit from making an appearance with Queen Ashe." Though that isn't why I'm going. "The fact that you need to head there as well simply provides and opportunity to have a lovely traveling companion, as opposed to simply a handful of guards who can't see past the throne I sit on." It came out a little more bitterly than he intended, and he shot her an apologetic look. This isn't the time to lay all of my troubles on her. Taking a subtle, cleansing breath, he offered her a small smile. "I have people to take care of my kingdom when I'm gone. Otherwise I would never be able to leave my castle, for there is a lot that needs to be done on a daily basis. As for my queen...?" Edgar let out another laugh as he winked at her. "I would have thought it was obvious from your wandering around the castle that I have no queen - at least not yet. The Chancellor is constantly on my case about it, and not having an heir, but it isn't as easy as one would think." He may not have said anything aside from joking comments about finding a wife, he did want to find one. He wanted a child of his own. He thought he would be a good father. But he just couldn't seem to find the right woman. "But I wouldn't call you strange. Even with your injuries, you have been an engaging partner to travel with. It...is a nice change." Raising his teacup in a slight toast to her company, he smiled and took a small sip of the slowly cooling liquid. "So no, there is no queen to worry about my traipsing across the countryside with a beautiful woman. No queen to get jealous of my attempts to find a lost child that is not mine. I am by myself for the moment, and if I wish to help you then I shall. And...I do with to help you, Paloma." There was only small mouthful of tea left in his cup, and he finished it easily. He had enjoyed the talk with Paloma, though now he had much to think about. Letting out a small sigh, he stood up and put his cup and saucer on the counter beside the kettle. It would be taken away in the morning. "I should let you get some sleep." he said softly as he turned back to the woman seated on the bed. "We will have an early start tomorrow, and should arrive at Rabanstre before the sun gets too high in the sky." The king was unsure about how to go about saying goodnight to the young woman, so he stepped closer and bowed before her. He gently grasped her hand and pulled it to his lips, touching his lips to the soft skin on the back of her hand. "Goodnight, my lady. Sweet dreams." he whispered, before reluctantly letting her go. Edgar closed the door behind him as he left, and leaned his forehead against it as he let out another sigh. His mind was racing, and Paloma had him thinking about finding a wife again. Seriously thinking about it, not the simple womanizing that he portrayed to the world. It was no secret that he liked women, and he respected them greatly. But it was only once in a while he found himself wishing he had a queen to rule at his side. Now...was one of those times. ---------------------The next morning-------------------- Edgar had barely slept that night. His thoughts had kept him awake, and even while he did manage to sleep, he dreamt of finding a wife. He dreamt of Paloma. And now, he had to ignore the feelings those dreams ignited for fear of driving her away. Even if she didn't care for him, he still enjoyed being with her. After dressing himself in his traveling attire, he made sure he was presentable before leaving his room with his sword at his hip once more. His guards were already waiting, and he sent them to get their mounts ready to go. Facing Paloma's door, he took a deep, calming breath before knocking. "My lady? It's time to go, if you are ready..." he called through the door, before stepping back and waiting for the woman to emerge. They would still take it slow, due to Paloma's healing injuries, but his main concern was proving that everything was fine. I can do it, I've had lots of practice. [OOC: Feel free to have them head down to the chocobos and get on the road ]
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Post by Al-Cid, Rakesh, Paloma, Mateo on Jan 8, 2013 16:32:38 GMT -5
It was by exhaustion, though one more mental than physical, that Paloma managed to sleep the previous night through. Now, she was well rested, and with the dawn of this new morning, she rose early and availed herself of the room’s attached bath, despite having made use of it the evening prior. She had always preferred that to be a morning ritual, when the chance presented. Morning baths had a way of aiding toward organizing her thoughts, and it was that morning in which Paloma recalled that Rakesh, Mateo’s father, had once mentioned having family in Rabanastre--a son and two daughters if she rememberd correctly. That meant Mateo had, at the very least, three half-siblings. If luck were with the child, perhaps one of them had found Mateo. After all, children with both a hume and a viera for parents were something of a rarity; and Mateo--looking more and more like his father with each passing year--would not be hard to overlook. However, a part of Paloma realized that she was probably grasping at straws with this hope. Still, it was the only lead she had at this time. Therefore, she decided that once they reached Rabanastre, she would seek out the family of Rakesh--regardless of any awkward feelings that arose as the result of this decision.
Rakesh had never introduced her to his family. In fact, she had never even known he was a widower and father of three grown offspring until he had admitted to it, some weeks before he died (the man was usually rather vague on matters regarding his own past). Then, when she had found out about Mateo, and after she had heard wind of Rakesh’s death, she had not sought his family out.
Now, Paloma was unsure just how she should go about finding them. She could always just ask around, but that seemed too akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack. Even if the haystack of local viera was a small, the viera themselves were not known to be the most open of people. Case in point: Rakesh had been one of the more personable of viera she’d ever met. Despite that, he had rarely admitted to much of anything when it came to matters more personal. And, although Rakesh did tell her that he had a son who still made home in Rabanastre, Rakesh had never mentioned his son’s name, or the location of his home. Had she the foresight, she might have thought to ask for more details. But, as they say, hindsight is always 20/20. With little to go on other than a name, it looked like a little bit of detective work would be in order, and perhaps, the first place to look would be where Rabanestre kept its city records.
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Moments after Edgar had knocked upon the door, Paloma emerged dressed and ready for travel. “Buenos dias, Edgar,” Paloma greeted, “Good morning.” She closed the door as she stepped away from the room, and came to stand next to Egar. “Yes, I am ready,” she said with a nod, “Let us make to Rabanastre with haste.”
Then, like she did the day prior, Paloma promptly looped her hand around the crook of Edgar’s elbow as they walked down the hall. Although an overtly familiar mannerism to be direct toward a king, it was one which seemed hard to tell if she in some way fancied Edgar, or if she acted so out of a brazen forwardness that held little regard for rank. Then again, it may have been the result of a familial upbringing where concepts of personal space were not so spacious. Perhaps it was a bit of all, for she would not be who she was today, had she been a girl with a meek continence.
Whatever the case, it was through such boldness that Paloma did not hesitate to ask for yet another a favor from a king. “Edgar... If Mateo is not to be found within Rabanastre, then there is something I ask for you to do for me...”
“There is a man who lives in Rabanatre--a possible ally in my search for Mateo... Someone that might be trusted to keep an eye out for my son, someone who would send word if Mateo is found. This man... he is Mateo’s half-brother. I want to meet with him, but I know not of his name nor residence. The information that I do have is the names used by their father. Rasmus-Vidar being his true name; but, from what I understand, it was not a name he had used for quite some time. I knew him by a different name when I met him--Rakesh. There is also Silasandros--the name under which he penned his treatises. He was a hunter for lore and scholar of arcana.”
“As for his children, I recall him mentioning that they were long since grown... and that his wife had died of old age... Viera are very long lived. Such that, I think, asking around may be fruitless. With so many years passed, I do not believe anyone would recognize it. Trying to find his son by word of mouth may very well be like trying to find a needle in a haystack... But... I also recall Rakesh once mentioning he owned a home in Rabanastre, and that he had passed it down to his son. If I can find which house that is, then I can find his son. To do this, I want to access Rabanastre’s hall of records... Specifically, I want to see their land title registry for... I am not sure how far back... I would assume at least twenty, thirty, forty years, or so, would be the best place to start.”
“What I ask if you would speak to Queen Ashelia on my behalf... to request that I be granted access to such records. If that cannot be arrange, then I ask to meet with someone who can look through them for me.”
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Post by Beebee on Jan 11, 2013 15:31:41 GMT -5
Edgar tilted his head at the strange greeting, but he was positive that was what it was. A small smile touched his lips as he inclined his head in response. He could smell the cleanliness on her, either the soap or the shampoo, he wasn't sure which. Maybe it was both. When she claimed she was ready to go, he gestured with his arm for her to go ahead but she instead hooked her arm through his. His eyes widened in surprise, but it was a pleasant surprise. "You seem to be in high spirits this morning. It's good to see." he said with a friendly smile. "We are headed straight to Rabanastre today, and we will likely take two or three breaks along the way to eat and rest up the chocobos. We should arrive just after mid-day."
The king slowed the pace slightly as she started to speak again, and his curiosity soared. What kind of favour could she want from me? He listened closely as she detailed her favour, though it sounded nearly impossible. He was about it interject when she continued speaking, talking a little more about Rakesh's children and admitting the difficulty of their mission. But, his part of her plan? That seemed fairly simple. "I can certainly ask her during our meeting. That won't be a problem." Edgar reached over with his free hand and patted the arm she had looped through his. "I'm sure we will be able to figure it out."
By the time they left the Gold Saucer, getting into view of their mounts and the rest of their party, a comfortable silence had fallen over them. The king had kept Paloma close to him, and he finally released her once they made it to the chocobos. Kicking himself back into leader mode, he ran a hand over his bird's glossy feathers as he turned to face the others. "Today will be much of the same from yesterday. We will set off at a similar pace, and stop every couple of hours for rest for ourselves and the birds. It won't take too long to get to Rabanastre, and then Paloma will separate to follow her own lead while we head to the castle to meet with the Queen." Edgar glanced over at Paloma with another small smile. "We can meet at the fountain in the middle of the city square at dusk, does that work?" He didn't expect his meeting with Ashe to go for too long, even with his side-project on the go.
Offering Paloma a foot up onto her mount, and not caring if she used his assistance or not, once she was upright he made his way to his own bird. Easily swinging himself up into the saddle, he turned to find his soldiers also mounted and ready to move. "Alright, let's get going." Kicking his bird into a run, he continued to alternate his attention between their surroundings and Paloma's well-being at their movements. Just as he had said, after approximately a couple of hours he called for a halt. Ensuring the birds were fed and watered, the soldiers pulled out some small snacks for the humans in their group as well. "Once we're rested, we can head out again." Edgar said as he offered Paloma a crunchy apple to munch on.
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Post by Al-Cid, Rakesh, Paloma, Mateo on Jan 16, 2013 17:23:44 GMT -5
“The fountain at Dusk...” Paloma repeated as she searched through memory of Rabanastre’s layout. “That is fine by mine,” she added with a confirmative nod. That should hopefully give her enough time to make some enquiries with the city guard, as well as compose a letter to her father before finding a courier to dispatch it to Rozarria.
Once they reached the Chocobo, Paloma again accepted Edgars assistance as she gingerly mounted the bird. Her side still felt rather tender, and it would likely be a few weeks still until it was fully healed. The voyage onward from there was a mostly quiet one. For the most part, Paloma concentrated on constructing a mental list of things to do once she reached Rabanasture. At the forefront of her mind where a the places she would need to visit and the people she wanted to locate. While the hospital would also be an important stop, it was one locationed she hoped not to find her child. She also wanted to visit the guard post to see if any lost Rozarrian children had reported in with them, or had been reported by the locals. She also thought about the letter she would compose--of what exactly she wanted to communicate to her father. She would tell him about Matao--and that she will be remaining in the area until he is found. He would also need to know that the airship had gone down over the Kingdom of Figaro, and would likely be out of commission until either repairs could be made, or a replacement sent.
In matters of repairs, she wondered if she should ask for an engineer and supplies to be sent, or if Edgar had the resources to make such repairs at his castle. Paloma looked over toward Edgar as she thought this over. She wondered at what level of technological development his people stood, and if his technology would even be compatible with the airship. Figaro did not seem to have an aerodrome at all.
At an initial glance, the design of the technology of his world did seem different than hers. However, she was unsure as to whether the people of his world were more or less advanced than those of Ivalice. Paloma was almost inclined to think that Edgar’s world was lesser developed--the king had seemed unusually excited about his radar. Helpful as it was, in her world, such technology has in use aboard airships and within aerodrome control rooms for years. Also, she found it odd that they were traveling around by mere chocobo. Sure, it was certainly a common enough method of travel in her own world, but it was a method she really used. Admittedly, she probably grew up a little spoiled since she usually had access to smoother and faster, though equally more expensive, methods of travel. Had they a hoverbike, the Gold Saucer and Rabanastre could have been made in but a single day. Were they in Rozarria, they would have traversed this kind of terrain by buggy.
These were the thoughts that were going through her mind when they made their first break.
Paloma had accepted the apple from Edgar, and munched on it thoroughly. After swallowing her third bite, she decided to see if Edgar could give her any answers.
“Edgar...” Paloma paused, as she thought over what exactly she wanted to ask. ”When I get to Rabanastre, I am going to send a message to my father. I am wondering what I will need to tell him about the condition of my airship. It is in need of repair--that is for sure. What I want to know if Figaro has the facilities to do such repairs? Or, if not, will I need to send for one of our carriers.”
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Post by Beebee on Jan 19, 2013 3:33:06 GMT -5
The ride itself was rather uneventful, and Edgar was thankful for the stop. The full day of riding yesterday plus what they had done this morning already was taking its toll on his rather sensitive behind. I'm not used to riding anymore. It didn't take long for Paloma to break the silence, and he had been watching her curiously as she ate her apple, and had caught her staring at him from time to time during their ride. He wasn't sure if she noticed though, if she did she never said anything. As Paloma questioned Figaro's capabilities, Edgar felt a little offended at the lack of faith in his country. It wasn't personal, and he knew she didn't mean it that way, but he had great pride in his talents and his castle. Looking away for a moment partially to regain his composure and partially to determine his wording, he let out a soft breath. "We have repaired airships in the past. Not any from your world but...I highly doubt it would be too different from the others. If not then...I would be more than happy to house someone more...qualified." His tone was careful, not because of what he was saying but he didn't want Paloma to know he had been put off by her question. Offering her a small smile, inclined his head before one of his soldiers called him over. Holding up his index finger in a manner that said 'one moment', he moved towards the young man who had hailed him. "We should get a move on, sir. The birds are getting antsy. Something is going on." he whispered, and Edgar turned to look at the nearest chocobo. It was standing straight up, turning its head this way and that is if searching for something. Or maybe it can hear something. It warked once quietly, and received an answer from one of the other mounts. "You may be right." Edgar whispered back, before turning around and speaking so everybody could hear. "Alright, looks like our break is going to be cut a little short. We need to get moving. Let's pack up." he commanded, all traces of joking gone from his face and tone. His soldiers knew what that meant, and quickly got their chocobos ready for travel. The birds stood oddly still as the bags were tied back onto the saddles, though they still looked every which way searching for whatever it was that was bothering them. The king made his way over to Paloma's side and it was just as he offered her a leg up into her saddle that disaster struck. The sound of loud engines cut through the desert, seeming to echo all around them. Edgar whirled around and saw a cloud of dust approaching their position at a quick pace, and he clenched his jaw. "Dammit. They've already seen us." he said more to himself than anything. The chocobo squaked in fear and tossed its head, though it didn't try to bolt. Edgar's mounts were trained to push through their fear. They couldn't be throwing their riders at every turn. "Easy." he mumbled as he rested his hand against the soft feathers, his other hand holding tightly to the reigns. He turned back to Paloma and for once was at a loss. She was in no condition to do battle if the newcomers intended to attack, but nor was she in any shape to run away. We will just have to do our best to defend ourselves. "I don't want you getting involved if you can help it, my lady. It has nothing to do with your being a woman, I've fought my fair share of battles alongside some of the best female warriors I've seen. But you are injured, and I will not have you harmed more if I can help it. Stay close to us, and try to keep a low profile." The other two soldiers moved closer, so they stood in a small group with the chocobos and Paloma in the middle. "Can you handle the birds?" he asked her quickly, but he missed if she answered him. The others had arrived. There were three men all on some sort of machine that cut through the desert sand like it was nothing. The one in front, a tall blonde man with goggles over his eyes, hopped down from the craft and studied the group with a sneer. "Oui yna y muhk fyo vnus rusa. Fryd yna oui tuehk cu vyn uid eh dra tacand?" His eyes lingered on Paloma a little longer than was necessary, and Edgar's eyes hardened as he stepped into the man's line of sight, effectively blocking her from his view. "Pardon me? I'm afraid I don't understand." This could be bad. [Translation: You are a long way from home. What are you doing so far out in the desert?] [Feel free to write the Al Bhed bandits however you want I just figured I'd get it started hehe]
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Post by Al-Cid, Rakesh, Paloma, Mateo on Feb 8, 2013 14:38:17 GMT -5
Paloma watched Edgar as he looked away, seeming to think over her question. It was belatedly that she realized that she might have caused some offence by the blunt wording of her question. There probably could have been a better way to word it, but she was unsure what that would be. Graceful with words, Paloma was not.
"We have repaired airships in the past. Not any from your world but...I highly doubt it would be too different from the others. If not then...I would be more than happy to house someone more...qualified." He’d answered in a tone that sounded a bit too carefull, and Paloma winced internally.
Aloud, she tried to pull a smile that was slightly apologetic, “Alright...”
Then there was an awkward moment of silence--or it seemed awkward to Paloma at least--after Edgar returned the smile and before he called for the guards.
When he brought attention to the bird anxiety, Paloma realized it wasn’t awkwardness in the air, at all. Something had alarmed both Edgar and the chocobos. He’d given the order to pack and up get a move on; however, before they could make their leave, the small party found themselves surrounded by bandits.That is, bandits who were using some fairly advanced tech. The vehicle they rode held a vague resemblance to the dune buggies of her own homeland. Yet, theirs were heavily retrofitted with parts that Paloma could not recognize.
Edgar had warn the group, before he turned to face Paloma with a look that she could not readily identity.
Then he said, "I don't want you getting involved if you can help it, my lady. It has nothing to do with your being a woman, I've fought my fair share of battles alongside some of the best female warriors I've seen. But you are injured, and I will not have you harmed more if I can help it. Stay close to us, and try to keep a low profile...” The soldiers had moved in to flank the two when Edgar added, “Can you handle the birds?"
But she did not have the chance to give answer.
One of the bandits, a blond man with goggles and a hideous taste for attire, leaped off the vehicle and approached their group. The others who remained behind--Paloma noticed with a wary eye--seemed to be making an effort at being discreet with their armaments. But, Paloma had noticed the telling glint of metal from the corner of her eyes when they shifted in their seats. The bandits were armed with guns.
The man at the head of the bandits took that time to speak up in a foreign tongue, "Oui yna y muhk fyo vnus rusa. Fryd yna oui tuehk cu vyn uid eh dra tacand?" Although Paloma did not understand the words, she could most certainly understand the look in his eyes when they lingered upon her. Her own eyes narrowed in response, and her fingers itched to reach for her own gun. Yet, she refrained for now. She didn’t want to cause these men any alarm lest they choose to open fire.
And then Edgar was standing before her, blocking her from the bandits’ view in an act of chivalric protected that managed to make feel unsure if she should be flattered or irked. Because she didn’t want to think too much about the former might mean, she decided the later--injured or not, she could damn well protect herself, thank you very much.
Then Edgar responded to the men, telling that he didn’t understand.
There was a pause, and then one of the men in the back--another blond dressed in a similarly awful manner--took that moment to stand. He’d shouted something toward the man across from them, and then there was a whole lot of gesticulating and and rapid-fire speech back and forth between the two. Paloma glanced at Edgar, wondering if he had any idea what was going on.
“Ya, iryokn yw dned.” Commanded the third man, who’d been silent up until that moment. The other two immediately stopped talking as the third man hoisted himself out of the buggy and name to stand next to the first man.
He was dressed a little different than the other two, Paloma noticed, in trousers of leather and a simple off-white shirt. He also wore his hair a bit longer than his companions, with the ends coming to his shoulders. It was pushed back, revealing sideburns on either side of his face that Paloma thought to be a bit longer than necessary. She would have thought him to be a pretty-boy, if it were not for the vicious looking scar that bisected his left brow and cheek.
“Well, who do we have here, if not the King of Figaro?” The man spoke again, this time with words everyone could understand. Paloma immediately noted a strange familiarity to the man’s accent, but she couldn't exactly place it to anywhere in particular. In a vague way, it did remind her of a cross between the Landisian dialect and that of old Archades.
“Show a little respect, sydac,” The mad added, and then his mouth pulled into a grin that seemed a bit more pleased than it ought to be, “We’re in the company of royalty.”
*Ya, iryokn yw dned. = Oy, enough of that. *sydac = mates
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Post by Beebee on Feb 9, 2013 16:54:19 GMT -5
Edgar kept his expression neutral as the bandits spoke amongst themselves. Only his eyes moved as they went back and forth, following the men that were speaking. All of a sudden a third man spoke up and everybody fell silent as they all fell into place. Edgar was still lost as to what they wanted, but he had a feeling that would change shortly. This new man commanded attention, both of the others with him and Edgar's own party. "Well, who do we have here, if not the King of Figaro?"
Tipping his head slightly to the side as he wondered what they could possibly want with him, he stayed in position to separate them from Paloma. "I see my reputation proceeds me." he said simply. He didn't like the look that came across the apparent leader's face as the bandit stared him down, but he knew he couldn't show any of his discomfort. That was just asking for trouble. In the meantime, he needed to find out what they wanted. "Are you fine people simply...out for a stroll?"
It wasn't likely, not with them carrying weapons which hadn't escaped Edgar's notice. This could get ugly. Taking a deep breath, he held his hands out to show that he was unarmed. His sword was still close at hand, but his intent was not to draw unless forced to. "We would just like to be on our way. If you would be so kind as to let us pass...?" Of course that won't work. Edgar was met with laughter from the bandits, and it took all of his self control not to sigh with frustration. At least they seem to be able to understand me. He wondered if the others could speak the common language as well, and were simply trying to keep their true intentions from the group.
He took a small step forward, trying to recapture their attention, and it worked a little too well. The laughter abruptly stopped and the two bandits who had initially conversed brought up their weapons to train on him. Edgar let a small apologetic smile cross his lips as his hands raised a little more in apparent surrender. "Easy, gentlemen. There is no need to be hasty." But he did stop moving. "We just all want to get out of here in one piece." he said calmly. It didn't seem like that was going to be the case though, as the two Al Bhed started snapping things out in their own language again.
"Tuh'd suja! E's fynhehk oui." It was directed at Edgar, and he tilted his head curiously. He understood the tone, though. He didn't need to know what the words meant to understand that enough was enough. The other snapped something back while he lowered his weapon, and the two went back and and forth for a few moments. The first bandit's gun was still pointed towards the king, but he wasn't looking at the group anymore. Their argument seemed to be getting heated, and Edgar cautiously slid back towards Paloma and his guards, who had drawn their own swords in response to the threat to their king.
Keeping his eyes on the three bandits, he started whispering to his own group. "We need to leave. This is going to get out of hand, fast. They are already on edge." His voice was incredibly quiet, so he wouldn't draw attention to the fact that they were planning their escape. All of a sudden, the arguing bandits escalated their fight, as they came to blows behind the central bandit, and a gun went off. Edgar jerked as something struck him, and he looked down in confusion. The chocobos, not used to the sound of gunshots, warked loudly in fear and attempted to pull away from Paloma and the guards. "Don't...let them go..." he said as he wavered on his feet, before he dropped to his knees.
Bringing a hand to his side, he frowned when he felt warm liquid starting to pool near his stomach. His guards leapt into action, one moving to help Paloma steady the birds while the other moved protectively in front of his downed king. Pain was starting to overwhelm Edgar, and he doubled over with a groan as his grip tightened around his wound. How did this escalate so quickly?
[Translation: Don't move! I'm warning you.]
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