The Lunatic and the Lady

The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby girl » Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:01 am

Mercy Tirel had made a promise to Lady Egris Verreaux concerning facilitating a liaison between the lady herself and Mekarie and, on the whole, Mercy works very hard to honor the commitments she makes. It is for this specific reason that Mercy had sought out the petite, dark-haired girl who seemed to be able to commune with the thing in the wood. Though their conversation had been brief, Mekarie had consented to a conference, and had agreed to a morning meeting.

That evening, Mercy penned a quick missive for the Lady Warden, detailing the promises she'd made to Mekarie regarding the types of breakfast refreshments that would be available, as well as the time and date that the physician would be fulfilling her vow. With all her ducks in a row, the physician was left only to wait for the madwoman to surface from whatever nest she called home and meet her, just moments after the sun has risen, on the steps that lead up to the Broken Dagger.

The physician is robed in white, and as she stands unmoving on the stone steps while bathed in the pale morning light, she resembles a statue. Her hands are lax at her side, and the gentle cast of her frame does not denote any anxiety--she is not worried that Mekarie will not make their appointment, or that the woman will stand her up and leave the Lady Warden in the lurch. She merely maintains her mien and remains on the lookout, eyes sharp and wide.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby Selestia » Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:34 am

The night habits of the madwoman were somewhat unknown, though she did spend a good amount of time sleeping when the thought crossed her mind. There was a room in the Dagger that she has acquired during the winter after it had been deemed too dangerous to venture out into the Woods herself. That was before the Shepard, before the creature in the Woods had declared her intentions, but it would be difficult to have Mekarie explain in any sense of it anymore; she has very little need to document time, and has very little sense of the chronological order of things as it was. But when given a task, such as the one at hand that has been requested of her, the madwoman was peculiarly reliable. She kept her word. She kept her promises.

And she would not leave the Lady Healer waiting for too long, but comes from the stables just after the daybreak smoothing her hands down the muted brown skirts, an anxious motion of someone who is unfamiliar with the garments and uncomfortable in the task before them. Nervous, more like. A brief pause, a glance upward to see that the waking sun has, indeed, taken the last stars from the sky with its glowing light, and Mekarie seeks out the physician on the stairs of the porch. She has...cleaned up. Good advice--hopefully good advice--had been given, to look presentable to the Lady Warden. Mekarie is no lady, but she has made some sort of effort to at least be in good order; the muted brown skirts, white button-down blouse and grey vest are far from new, but clean and in good repair. Even her hair has been conquered, the near-black tresses pulled back into a neat, fanciful braid that starts that the top of head and down to her skull before trailing down her back.

Hands come up, brief, long fingers to rub her arms, and she quickly lets them drop, a sign of her nervous energy; she feels exposed, uncharacteristic, but at least she looks proper. At the foot of the stairs she stops, hands folded together in front of her, dark eyes looking up to the Lady Healer. "Good-good morning, Miss Mercy." No, she would not make the physician cool her heels for too long, no leave her in the wind.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby Kestrel » Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:59 am

The Lady Warden was last the join them. Just a few moments shy of Mekarie's muted arrival, there was a thunder of hooves in the direction of the town. The warhorse that crested the hill was taller than most of the horses in the stables, his muscles shining with sweat and steam billowing in puffs from both nostrils. He fought her every step of the way, her hands stern upon the reins as he sought to steal her control. In no time at all, she was dismounting beside the stables. One of the stable boys hurried to take the stallion from her, wary of the cantankerous beast's teeth.

The Lady pulled off her riding gloves and slapped them against her thigh. Dust from the travels stained her usually pristine black and white uniform. Straight-faced, the Lady moved towards them with long strides eating up the ground between them. The longer side of her crimson hair had been braided and wrapped like a crown around her head. It was a shock of color against her monochrome attire.

She nodded politely to both of them as she approached. "I cannot thank you both enough for agreeing to meet with me." She was all class, despite her abrupt arrival and filth from travel. Her manners were impeccable. She waved towards the tavern door. "Please, let us go inside. I have arranged breakfast for all of us and it will soon grow cold."

Inside, there was hot porridge and milk, fresh berries, sweetcakes, and the refreshments requested of the meeting as outlined by Mercy.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby girl » Wed Apr 08, 2015 5:49 am

"I am afraid, Lady Warden, that I cannot be privy to this meeting today. Physician Jule has taken with some malady, and I am his necessary relief."

The physician delivers the news with deference, a small frown tightening the corners of her mouth.

"Therefore," she begins, taking a step to the side so that she can face the pair of them there on the steps, "I shall introduce you and allow you to conduct your business without further delay."

"Lady Warden, Lady Egris, this is Mekarie. Mekarie, this is the Lady Warden that I spoke to you of." The greetings are exchanged quickly, but with all the grace and politeness befitting a woman of her breeding.

"I apologize of the hasty exit, but I must make tracks," Mercy TIrel says, even as she's slipping down the stairs and heading, skirts in hand, towards the Rememdium's worn doors.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby Selestia » Wed Apr 08, 2015 7:55 am

There is a moment of hesitation, the slight flicker of something akin to panic in the madwoman’s eyes when Mercy says that she cannot stay. Breakfast was forgotten for the moment as she looks to the departing physician, then turns to give the Lady Warden a slight nod of her head. Warden. Wardens, in her brief experience, were not pleasant folk—men. They had always been men to her knowledge with angry Guards with dark rooms and rough hands and—

“Pleased to-please to meet you,” she finally says, her voice that nice and even contralto that belies none of her inner dialogue, her little tick of language the barest blip, a mind resetting itself so that the words are not so much a stutter but simply excessive words amidst a conversational tone.

Another glance toward the departing figure of the Lady Healer, and Mekarie turns to make herself up the stairs, keeping her hands folded almost neatly in front of her. Demure, perhaps. Non-threatening. Look at me, look at me, I am as completely harmless as a little bird. Thankfully, one of the maids inside had seen her coming, the diminutive madwoman, and would open the door much to Mekarie’s gratitude; it would be hard to explain such a quirk to the Lady Warden, and there had been no one thus far to get a straight answer from her as to the why.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby Kestrel » Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:11 am

The Lady inclined her head in polite fashion when the healer elected not to stay to oversee the interaction. The pinch of her mouth revealed her displeasure, but she understand duty more than most. The Lady nodded towards Mekarie in greeting when the two were introduced, however quickly.

All too soon, they were left alone and an awkward silence settled. The tiny voice offered polite words and the Lady's smile turned warm. "And you as well. Come, join me inside," she offered, as the woman held the door ajar for both of them. She nodded with her own gratitude and slipped in behind the waifish other.

The breakfast spread was rather remarkable, but it was still rather simple fare. No need to throw her money around when she did not have to. She claimed a few pieces of fruit and cheese for herself, along with a heel of bread. She balanced them upon her palm and nibbled as she let her eyes ghost over the woman, taking her seat promptly.

"Physician Tirel might have mentioned that you've knowledge of the self-imposed guardian of the Wood threatening to do harm to my people."

Right to business, apparently.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby Selestia » Sun Apr 12, 2015 3:56 pm

She would take porridge with berries, as well as the cup of coffee that she had becoming dependent upon to keep her awake when she would forget to sleep proper. Or she did not forget to sleep but instead preferred to stay awake for reasons best left out of the topics to come. Her bowl and cup are set down, and the madwoman takes her own seat, smoothing the skirt around before sitting, much as if she has worn them before, though anyone near the area would know she wore rags—a tunic and leggings—rather than this. To her, this is finery.

The spoon was in hand before the Lady would make her opening statement, and Mekarie pauses, mulling the words, letting them turn and percolate in her mind, run the labyrinth in her head to find the proper response. The spoon is set back upon the lip of the bowl, and the madwoman places her hands primly in her lap. It was the actions of someone attempting to buy herself time, to get another moment to think proper. But it was just a moment, and it was up just as fast.

“What do you-what do you wish to know? She is-she is the Shepard.” That answered nothing and everything as far as Mekarie was concerned, but her head dips slightly, a look down at her hands, then back up at the Lady. “She would-she would protect the Woods from the-from the…from the darkness that-that people can bring-can bring to it. Hunting all the-all the animals and-and stripping the Woods of-of what it is.”

A pause, and the madwoman looks down again, reorganizing her thoughts, making words move, then back up at the Lady once more. “She will-she will harm no one-no one that does not go in her Woods. Stay out of the Woods.” That is what she had been saying from the beginning, little Herald that she was. Both she and Catch had been giving the same warning to everyone who would listen.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby Kestrel » Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:53 am

The Warden sampled the food from her palm while she waited for the girl to speak. She recognized the tactic Mekarie employed as one to buy herself time and she would wait patiently. She would have likely done the same in a similar situation. It was only when she spoke that the Lady let a frown touch upon her features. A muscle towards the side of her jaw tightened before she let out a sigh.

"Not everyone brings darkness. Unfortunately, there are those who need the freedom to enter the Wood to be able to feed and clothe their families. They are being compensated for the loss of their funds for the time being, but I assure you that accepting charity is not in their blood and this uneasy bargain will not remain forever," she began, tension in the set of her jaw, in the rigidity of her spine.

"Can the creature be reasoned with? I may be able to discuss outlining some rules for harvest or areas that are off-limits to those who toil there. I need to know more information before I decide what to do. I fear for the lives of my men and I do not wish to struggle in vain attempts against a creature far more powerful than we," she explained, her expression stern, but honest.
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Re: The Lunatic and the Lady

Postby Selestia » Tue Apr 14, 2015 2:56 pm

Can the creature be reasoned with? Mekarie kept her hands demurely in her lap as she let the Lady's words sink into her head and move around to find their own meaning before trying to respond. She is not entirely sure what the Lady wants of her, but she is willing to trying--it is her job, after all.

"Hunters," she says simply, one owlish blink, and continues. "And poachers. And those who would-who would take from the forest without-without giving back." The madwoman inhales deeply, letting it out slowly through her nose. "There have been-there have been places where a King would say-would say 'Do not enter the Woods' and it was-it was law." Her head tilts slightly to the side, the braid slithering along the fabric of her vest as she watches the Lady. She did not know the Lady Warden, and Mekarie was smart enough to know not to anger her unduly. The last she wished was to be locked up.

The very last.

"How is it-how is it wrong that she-she wishes to preserve the-the Woods for the future-for the future?" Mekarie inhales again, the reaches out to wrap her hands around the hot mug, bringing it up for a quick sip to wet her dry throat. "How many-how many creatures that do no-do not remember how old they are do you know that are-are reasonable when it comes to-when it comes to what they want? I cannot think of any." Her last words were said with such inflection it was a curious though to entertain...just how many of those ageless eldritchs did Mekarie know?

"Do you-do you wish to meet her?" Now that. That the madwoman could do. She could always arrange a meeting of some sort. "There may-there may be a delay. A delay because of Spring." They were all a little mad with the frenetic burst of energy that came with the new life about them. Some more than others.
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