Revelation of Leida's Past

Revelation of Leida's Past
Date of Scene:	23 December 2012
Location:	Fluorgis - Shard Seekers HQ - Garden
Synopsis:	The story began with Reize letting Dandy out to play at the garden in the Shard Seeker's headquarters. Leida was contemplating about her potential ordeal until the young adventurer asked her about her past.
Cast of Characters:	Reize Seatlan, Leida

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Reize Seatlan has posed:
It is night time.

Within Fluorgis, the winter continues to strive through the land, making it very chilly. The cool wind blows along the air, giving the dry atmosphere a cutting chill. Snow has not fallen quite yet.

"Bowrrrr!!!!"

A small brown and white puppy is waddling along the snow, looking over to the left and the right. He pads as quickly as he can, pouncing over towards the grassy surface. Flower beds are about in this small garden.

Emerging out from the patio is a young boy also known as the leader of the Shard Seekers. He has a peaceful look on his face, leaning over the railings to watch Dandy play. "Oooiii!" He calls out towards Dandy, "Don't ruin the flowers now, okay?! Your mom will be displeased!"

The beagle barks out to Reize and rolls along the grass.

Leida has posed:
Another person is about in the garden this evening, though her presence is far less noisy than the small puppy. Leida sits upon one of the handful of wire-frame chairs arranged around the single table set amid the flowers and vines, her short legs dangling a few inches off the ground.

A dark but plain shirt drapes over her slight frame, the garment clearly too large for the girl. Her hands are concealed from view within the long sleeves and the excess length of the body reaches down to about mid-thigh, almost giving it the looks of a short dress. The loose pants that had been 'gifted' to her by Mercade are no where to be found and her bare legs peek out from below the bottom of the shirt. No shoes are present either.

Despite how little protection this ensemble provides against the cold, Leida doesn't seem to be bothered by the climate at all. Her years in the frigid eternally snow-wrapped peaks that comprised the kingdom of her former husband had acclimated her to the cold and the sensation was actually somewhat nostalgic.

It is to this old memories that her mind has wandered now that it is free of the obscuring mists of the demon. After the frightful confrontation with Will, the girl has been doing a great deal of thinking and reflecting upon the choices of her life and how she plans to make up for the many mistakes made along the way.

The logistics of apologizing to literally every person affected by her actions are quite staggering at this point but that doesn't stop her from considering it.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
A mirthful smile is awarded to the little puppy. It's amusing watching the little guy roll around the grass. Though, he does move over towards one of the flower patches that Lily likely planted.

"Oooi! Do you want your mom scolding you?!" Reize shakes a fist at the puppy, then he exhales a sigh. "Mada mada.." A hand rests along his forehead. A smile grows, then he turns his head over to see the young princess who has been dealing with a lot of contemplation. He tilts his head over, studying the look on her face for several moments. The young man walks over towards her, placing a hand over towards he shoulder.

"Ooi, feeling better, Leida?" Inwardly, Reize knows that she is not doing too well with adjusting. However, the boy is trying to get some conversation going with the quiet girl. He took the responsibility as her guardian, so he wants to ensure that she takes her transition back to normal life as digestable as possible.

Leida has posed:
The gentle voice and hand on her shoulder snaps Leida out of her reminiscence and she glances up with a faint look of surprise on her face that quickly fades back to solemn contemplation.

"Oh... Reize-san..."

Pushing to her feet, the girl hops out of the chair and turns to give him a deep bow, her hands folding neatly infront of her waist within the sleeve-covers. Slowly her old habits and mannerisms were beginning to return now that her life wasn't in constant danger, one of which was an adhereance to custom and formality that only one born and raised in royal court life could display so effortlessly.

She remains bent forward for an appropriately respectful few moments before rises up again and turning to stare off at the moss covered fountain, its stone surface cracked and leaking in several places thanks to the abundance of unchecked flora rampant in the city.

"I was just... thinking of home..."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Once Leida finally returns to reality, Reize runs a hand over the back of his head with a grin. The smile grows, rubbing over it while looking over the princess. But when she pushes to her feet, Reize steps back from her, then he blinks at her strange custom.

"...Err...?"

He looks at the princess with deep confusion, then he awkwardly returns the gesture, as if not sure. "It is good that you are recovering, at least." He gives a frown, "...I know the other day was tough for you. You have a long while to go, but... I know some folks that'll be glad to help!" He knows Shiki, for example, plans to take her shopping. It'll be good for girl time. ... Maybe Lily should accompany them. Something of girl-time or something like that.

However, when she stares off towards another direction, Reize leans against the railing while looking directly at her.

"What was your home like, Leida?"

Leida has posed:
A more complex question than Reize knew. Her familial estate in the broad plains where she grew up could be described as an extravagent castle but those words didn't do its amazing architecture and beautiful decoration even a hint of justice. Elaborate scrolls of all sizes depicted scenes of battle and moments of historical signifigance on every wall, intermixed with the writings of famous poets, philosophers, and warriors, on display for all to come and partake of their breathtaking artistry. Many pieces of furniature within the massive keep were crafted from the richest woods and inlaid with precious metals and gems and important guests never enjoyed anything less than the finest that the world had to offer.

But despite its majesty, the only thing she could feel upon picturing the towering walls and layered rooftops was regret. She had been an eyesore to her family and they had spent her whole life letting her know exactly how they felt. Leida chose not to share the details of this place.

Instead, she turned her imagination back to the rough crags of the mountain fortress where the lord of the land had made his home. "I was born in the plains. I... don't remember much about my childhood. Most of it was consumed with lessons. How to speak, how to look, how to behave. All of the things that a princess ought to know."

The wind rustles her hair and she lifts a hand to brush it from her face, the slender fingers poking out briefly to make the task less troublesome. "When I was fourteen, my father sent me away to be married to one of his political rivals. He lived in the mountains, which were always covered with snow because they were so high up. I had never seen snow before then."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
"The plains, huh?"

The young adventurer looks over towards his friend, drawing his hand over towards the top of the patio, but only touches air. He tilts his head over towards her, hearing the tale about how she was told how to do many things.

Her life was generally controlled. It sounds like a boring way to live.

But, when she explains about her political marriage, Reize tilts his head over and he blinks. Quite an age to be married off. The boy raises his hand over to his forehead to contemplate, but then he stops as she mentions about the snowy mountains. "How did you enjoy it? Living in the mountains must had been tough! Howver, it sounds like quite an adventure!"

Leida has posed:
A faint look of surprise at Reize' enthusiasm is given but it quickly shifts into a gentle smile. An adventure, huh. She had never quite looked at it that way. She had rarely set foot outside of the castle before that harrowing trip into the mountains, her mind full of anxiety and questions. Her father had told her precious little of the man to whom she was going to be spending the rest of her life with, too busy with his endless schemes and machinations to give the actual pawn in his game much thought.

"Yes, I suppose it was."

Again, she looked inwards, searching for the words to explain life amid the frigid peaks. "I was terrified at first. My suitor was a huge man, almost as big as a bear. He intimidated me. But... he turned out to be very kind."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Many strange lands, all of them have something to offer. It is something that the boy considered, traveling through the mountains and other regions, to see more than just the desert. Just dreaming of the chance to travel through the mountains and explore further is rather exciting.

However, Leida starts to explain about her life within the frigid plains. Reize takes the moment to come out of his thoughtful contemplation of excitement to hear her tale. He offersher a very sympathetic smile as she explains about her suitor.

"...A gentle giant! At least he was a good man." He considers, "...Did you at least grow used to the mountains after that?"

Leida has posed:
Leida nods softly, looking sad again for some reason. "Yes... a... good man."

She goes quiet for several long moments before continuing. "The people were supportive of our marriage. They were worried... that the kingdom had no heir..." She blushes a little at the implications of that but doesn't elaborate. "They helped me adjust. The cold was... difficult... but I came to enjoy it."

The unpredictable winds that buffeted the tall peaks had brought with them frequent and terrible storms. The people of the land had grown tough and practical because of this harsh lifestyle but they never forgot to take the time to admire the natural wonder of their world. The freshly fallen snows decorating the stout kashi trees that hugged the mountainsides like a mossy coating was always an awe inspiring sight from her vantage in the fortress.

"There were other things too. New foods." She claps her hands together once in soft glee at the memory. "Oh, how I miss the wonderful ume sake they made. And the rice sake imported from the fields was excellent. Oh... and ofcourse... the cherries were wonderful when fermented in the winter as well."

Leida, the blossoming alcoholic. Who knew?

Reize Seatlan has posed:
As she explains about the tale with the kingdom, Reize listens. He blinks regarding the lack of heir. ...Nah, not putting too much thought. Instead, Reize continues to listen to the wonderous tale of the adjustment.

It is now that Reize sees a smile on her face or a least some sort of positive emotion on her face. The young traveler is now growing that smile as well, happy that she is able to relive some of the fonder moments. "Ume... sake?" He blinks, then he thinks over, "...Something tells me you may want to talk to Raiya sometime. She was here last night!" And she explains more about the fermented cherries.

Blink.

Hmm...

Leida has posed:
The girl ceases speaking for a moment to glance up at Reize. "Raiya?" Was this person a fellow lover of sake? Perhaps they would have to speak of the finer details of flavor and texture some time! Ofcourse, the princess has no idea how alcohol has evolved differently over the years in various worlds. She's probably in for a shock at the Wutai brands of booze.

Ofcourse, she has no idea who Raiya is or what she looks like. There were several unfamaliar faces present at the commotion the day before and she had not been in the most attentive frame of mind.

"Um... I-I will keep that in mind..."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
"Older lady, she tends to wear a kimono and is really good with a sword! She is a friend of mine's teacher!" He brightens a grin, looking over towards Leida before he looks over towards the field.

Oh hey, Dandy is running back to him.

"Welcome back, Dandy!" Then, the dog slowly pads over towards Leida, sniffing over towards her to inspect her.

Sniff sniff.

Leida has posed:
Reize's description strikes a faint chord of memory in the girl and she tries to put the face to the name, looking thoughtful for several moments. However, her efforts are interrupted by the touch of a cold wet nose on her leg, causing her to squeak in surprise.

"O-Oh... it's just you..."

Leida had seen the beagle scampering about the HQ and the flower gardens a few times in the last few days but this was the first that the creature had approached the small girl. She smiled again and kneeled down, holding her hands out for Dandy to inspect.

Dogs were a common sight in her home land, even more so in the mountains. Feral packs of wolves and wild dogs roamed the snowy peaks, hunting the game that made its home there. Domestic varieties were essential for hunting and protection in the outlying communities where bears and other predators could wander into the settlements and the winding mountain roads were prone to blockage, making supplies difficult to deliver.

The dogs of the mountains were much more wolf-like in their appearance than the skinny beagle, with tall wedge-shaped ears and thick shaggy coats to protect against the cold. But Leida was an equal opportunity lover of cute animals.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
The little beagle looksup towards Leida, squinting her way. The small creature tilts his head to the side, then he pads closer to the girl as she kneels down. With the hand held out to the young girl, he starts sniffing.

It takes a few moments of sniffing before he becomes accostomed to the scent.

She's cleared!

The pup begins licking against her hand affectiontely.

Reize laughs, grinning for a moment while both hands are brought over his head, "Dandy likes you." He looks over towards the entrance to the headquarters. "It's amazing that we got the little guy. Lily was pretty sad that she had to give the puppies back to their owners, but it was a good thing she was able to keep one of them." He grins.

"Leida... we'll have an adventure soon. So stick with us. The Shard Seekers will show you what's beyond the mountains and he plains. We'll go everywhere."

Leida has posed:
Leida gives the puppy her best princess smile, giggling a little when the slobbery tongue begins to lap at her fingertips. Emboldened by the friendly behavior, she leans forward a little and runs her hands over Dandy's head and back.

"He is a beautiful creature. I am sure he will grow up to be loyal and strong."

At the mention of adventure, the girl again looks surprised, turning to peer up at Reize. "An adventure...?" The idea was rather strange to her mind, a princess going on an adventure. That's certainly not how it went in the stories! She wasn't really sure she had the skills to do something like that.

"Oh... but... I-I would probably just slow you down... I wouldn't want to be a burden..."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
The little dog closes his eyes, wagging his tail as he gets his sweet pettings. Suddenly, his ears perk up, and then he gives Leida's hand one last lick before running back inside of the home.

Reize look over to the departing Dandy, "It looks like Lily is calling him." He grins, lifting his shoulders with a shrug. THen, he looks over at the surprised gaze of Leida. H walks over towards her, extending his hand towards her.

"You're a Shard Seeker. Don't worry about being a burder. We will watch each other's back. You're amongst a family." He brightens a grin her way.

Leida has posed:
"F-Family?"

The bonds of blood to someone of her heritage was a sacred thing. It tied her to her ancestors, to the history of the land and the people. It was part of what shaped who she was. To simply decide to become part of a new family was completely alien to the girl.

But on the other hand, her entire world was gone. So too were all of her blood relatives and the masoluems of the ancients. Were their spirits gone as well? Would they be upset by such a thing? Did it even matter after everything she had done...

Again, Leida stared in quiet contemplation at the mossy stones as if the spirits would rise up from the ground and deliver the answers she sought. Sadly, this was not the case. Instead, after a few moments, she reached out shyly to take the hand that was offered.

"I understand..."