05.21.3013: An Eagle in the Vale
Summary: Princess Janelle visits with the Valen.
Date: 21 May 2013
Related: Life
Janelle Nikomachos Solon Lucretia 


The Fortress of Phylon
This RP takes place in both the Coliseum and the Tactics Meeting Room in the Fortress.
May 21, 3013

The Princess Janelle Sauveur has arrived from the Eastern Ways platform with her usual flair and multitude of guards. Her dark violet gown is emphasized by the enormous embroidered wingspan of a silver eagle across much of it. Though her dress lacks sleeves or shoulder coverings, this has been achieved by a separate cowl of dark violet velvet. A quad of guards walk around her, creating a neat square of protection as she is escorted into Coliseum. Though there are certainly Citizens and nobles alike moving through the expansive area, there has been a definite path cleared for the Princess to approach its center.

Nikomachos has showered, changed, and primped since returning from Landing, his electro-charged vest rippling with flame, his hair perfectly spiked up with just enough devil-may-care attitude. He's gathered with other members of his family at the center of the massive entrance hall slash stadium, reaching up to smooth one last wet hair into place as he waits. The approach of the Princess and her guardians catches his attention quickly, however, and as she nears, he bows his head, putting his left hand on the crossguard of the sword at his hip to make it a more formal gesture.

After an afternoon of practice, the Southern Falcon has likewise made sure to clean up nice and into the colors of his house as Cambric gives himself one last glance over, gathered with the small contingent of his group. There's a formal bow offered to the Princess' arrival, likewise resting his hand upon the pummel of his blade as he holds himself formally for the moment.

Solon, the Lion of Phylon, has also made it a point to shower and dress in his more casual silky sleeveless jerkin. This gives a view of the bruises that cover his arms, and his particularly purple right hand. But when the Princess arrives, he's standing a few feet in front of Niko in the hall, bowing his head to her as well. "Your Highness." he states in greeting, once she's close enough.

Standing with some of her family, Lucretia is in all black, with her hat and staff, which is topped with a large aquamarine. Murmuring quietly with some cousins or what have you, her attention is drawn by the princess's arrival, and she edges a few steps closer in a whisper of silk, moving closer to Niko and her nephew, Solon. The Witch smiles and offers a small, formal curtsey, and remains silent for the moment, letting her house's heir provide the greeting.

It takes Janelle only a heartbeat to recognize those in the cluster of Valen. Her pale lips curve with a simple, and yet graceful smile that does not crinkle her eyes, but does not seem less genuine. Tired, perhaps. "Sir Nikomachos," Her gaze alights on Solon, and she bows her head gently in return. "Lord Sir Solon…" Then she smiles toward Lucretia a bit warmer, women at least bound by similar age. "And Lady Lucretia." The Leonnida is not forgotten as she inclines her head gently toward the vassal Lord. "And Sir Cambric Leonnida… the Valen have brought out some of their best, I see." She clasps her hands before her.

"I'll have to ask you to excuse the bruises, while awaiting your arrival I may have felt the sudden urge to test the skills of one of your cousins." Solon keeps his eyes on her's. Despite his typically boisterous demeanor, he is likely one of the few men whose eyes rarely if ever stray below a woman's. At least not on formal occasions. "I believe we have something to discuss?"
New Job Submitted (#229): Hostile on Nubilus

Nikomachos bows his head again as he's recognized, waiting until Solon has responded before he adds in his own, "Thank you for the kind words, Your Highness." He gestures with one hand over to Solon, supplying the name of that cousin, "Sir Ellinor, and she gave Sir Solon," see, he can be formal when the situation calls for it, "quite the run for his money. We could certainly do worse if the finals at the melee on foot come down to the pair of them."

When he is recognized, Cambric straightens slightly. "Your Highness." is offered with a polie smile as he nods in agreement. "I am sure we will all be making a good showing in the upcoming games." he comments, even if his thoughts are currently slightly elsewhere at the moment.

"Princess Janelle, it is a delight to see you again, I am sure your visit will do much for the morale of the Fortress's knights and soldiers, and shall help keep them steadfast as the storms begins to come," Lucretia comments after letting her younger family members speak. She offers a fond smile that seems genuine enough as her emerald eyes regard the other woman, just a year her younger, studying the blonde.

Janelle maintains her graceful smile as Solon and Nikomachos fill her in on her cousin's role in the Young Lord's bruises, and her golden brows arch high over her dark blue eyes. "My… well… she brings pride to the Sauveur name." If there's sarcastic there, it is definitely subtle. Then she nods gently as she steps toward the Young Lord while also regarding the rest of those present. She brightens just a touch to Lucretia's words. "The storm is just what I hoped to speak with the Cindravale and its honorable Vassals about." The Sauveur guards have taken a wider berth around the woman, almost setting up a saunch veil around the nobles and their poise definitely suggests others move along. "We should perhaps speak in some private… perhaps we can walk and talk…" And she gestures hopefully.

"She is definitely a fiery woman." Solon says as if steam could come rising from his nostrils at any moment, nodding firmly at his own words. When she suggests they walk, he nods again, this time a bit more subtle, and looks back at Niko. "Sir Nikomachos, where would you suggest we go for a little privacy, while we walk and talk?" he asks, and smiles back at the princess.

Nikomachos smiles faintly at Solon's description of the Sauveur, bowing his head to the Young Lord at his request, "I believe that the Planning Room," where military campaigns that do not need or want Citadel involvement are laid out, "is free. If you would like any refreshments, Your Highness, I would be honored to fetch them. We have a very nice white wine from the Southern Plains that is just ready for consumption." The suggestion there, of course, is that while Janelle may not trust servants to fetch drink, if she trusts the Cindravales, one of their knightly scions should be safe enough. "Perhaps a Valen pastry as well?" Those would be savory ones, rather than sweet, suitable for an appetizer or snack.

With the plans being made to tend to the Princess and her needs and where they are heading, Cambric is quiet instead, listening rather than speaking. The knight prepares to fall into step with the others, to the right and slightly behind - that way noone can see his back to stick a knife in of course. Or something like that.

"I imagined so, Princess," Lucretia murmurs with a dip of her head to the blonde. She nods at Niko's recommendation and will turn to fall in line, assuming they start moving, staff tapping against the ground as she walks. The Witch glances to Janelle again and comments, "I admit, I have some concerns to voice myself, that you have likely heard already, so I am interested in your input, Princess."

"It is the Khourni blood," the Princess offers. "That family definitely adds… a touch of fire to the Silver Eagles." If not a bit of drama. Janelle considers the Valens with a bit of earnest interest, though she does hold up a hand at the offer of refreshments. "The wine will be fine, Sir Nikomachos," she says in her warm contralto before she nods in agreement to the relocation. It may not be her House, but she starts to walk and talk with her greeters without their encouragement. "I bring some news from the Ring," she offers, ensuring that she is here for a true purpose. "Even as we speak, the Master of Ships is reporting this very information to the Council." She looks toward Lucretia. "I want to sooth those concerns."

"I would like some of those pastries, but they can wait until we're done here." Solon is sure to say pastries, plural, and quickly stays in step with the princess. Not any slower or faster than her. "If Khourni blood does that to a woman, then I think they could all use a bit of a transfusion." he quips with a slight smile, then quickly turns his head to her, adding, "Except you, of course, Your Highness. But then there is very little that could possibly enhance your beau—" He quickly cuts himself off. Right, royalty, don't derail too much. "Is this news about the Hostiles?"

Nikomachos nods to the Princess's request, and again to Solon's, "I'll have some of each brought up, Your Highness, Young Lord." He starts to turn away, almost turning back as Janelle begins to provide additional information, but he merely nods again, heading off to get the food and drinks and meet the Royal Entourage — what used to be the Young Lord's Entourage — in the Planning Room.

"I am glad to hear that," Lucretia murmurs in response, curious now, to hear this news from the Ring. She looks amused at the discussion about Ellinor and Khourni blood, and glances in Niko's direction as he wanders off, but the older woman remains silent as she follows to the Planning Room.

There is not much else said by the Princess beyond what is certainly casual conversation as the Valen climb through the monstrous and lovely Fortress. When they come to the meeting room, two of Janelle's guards enter first in common formation before the woman enters. She glances toward the pair of Cindravale that has followed her, brushing her hands down the smooth front of her dress as she considers a seat. "I assume," she says at first, "that the Vale is already on high alert, what with more scout pods being uncovered in its borders."

"Most definitely. And given the information that these new scouts may have some sort of cloaking technology, I'm considering the idea that infrared capabilities should be a standard addition to helmets. But there's no guarantee that other units can't also hide their body heat, I may also have a temporary solution for that." Solon walks over to one of the seats at the small circular conference table, pulling a chair out for her and nodding for the woman to take a seat. They aren't his guards, but he nods to one of them, nods to another seat, then nods to Lucretia.

Lucretia nods after Solon answers and adds, "On high alert, and I can assure you, thoroughly armed." Having spent the past few weeks arranging shipments of arms for her House and its soldiers, she would know. She moves to settle into a seat, free hand reaching up to idly adjusther hat, the other still holding her staff. "Princess, forgive me if I am interrupting, but.. I assume you speak with Awakened? I've spent the past weeks contacting the ones I know, and going out of my way to meet new ones, just to converse with them about..things. I am wondering if perhaps you've reached any conclusions, or simply what you think?"

The door to the Planning Room whisks open, and Nikomachos steps through with a tray topped with a bottle of wine, several glasses, and a tray of little pastry triangles. He moves immediately over to the table, setting the tray down and taking up a bottle opener. He pops the cork, pours a glass of wine first for Janelle, then for Solon, and then offers to do the same for Lucretia with a lift of the bottle and his eyebrow.

The Princess takes the offered seat with a sweeping gesture of her dress's skirt. She maintains a tall poise even when seated, hands folding into her laps as she considers the words from the Young Lord and the Sorceress. "If my understand is correct, the units do produce a heat signature… their camoflauge is produced from microcameras and armor plates that reproduce those images. They have been outfitted with special hands and feet that allow them to climb and move with ease. They were built for their purpose, and built well." It is then that she regards the Awakened, and she frowns. "My cousin has sent me some theories… that the Hostiles may be interested in the Awakened of Haven. I have heard these concerns from others… it would suggest they have another purpose beyond our annihilation… they are curious." She looks up toward the other Valen as he enters, leaning back into her chair and nodding when the glass is filled.

"Yes, well, curiosity killed the Arborian Thunder Cat. That and poachers." Solon sighs, trying to sit straight and poised himself, and then the food comes. He takes two of the triangles, one in each hand. "I thought they'd be bigger, which is why I asked for more than one. They're never as big as I expect"

His focus shifts back to the princess, taking a bite from one of the pastries. "Is there no way we can have some sort of probe sent to Cantos, one that could at least last long enough for us to learn something? We can't send scouts because it would be a suicide mission, but they're already learning about us, so we should be learning

Lucretia nods slowly as she listens to the Princess's answers, "I imagine your cousin was likely one of the ones I spoke with. Lady Lyrienne? She and I had much the same thought really, though..there was something else I saw, but I could not decide what to make of it, and I am leery of discussing the meaning much, as I've yet to speak with anyone else who saw the same." Shaking her head, she leans back in her seat, falling silent for a moment to listen to the others.
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Nikomachos offers the Young Lord a far-too-innocent look, "Is anything, Young Lord?" A hint of a grin touches his lips, and then he closes it down again, shifting back into polite nothingness. Without any response from Lucretia, he pours himself a glass of wine, then settles down into a seat, "Once they get down in force, Your Highness, the flower of Havenite chivalry," a smirk bounds across his lips again, "and the knights of the Spine, Crescent, and Ring, of course, will trample them under." He lifts his glass up to his lips, then lowers it again to add, "But the I'm sure that the information we're gathering on these scouts will be quite useful."

"That is what brings me here," Janelle answers Solon, taking a sip of her wine to either gather her thoughts or add a dramatic pause. "The units that the Ring has been researching abruptly started releasing a signal today… even the inoperable one. It appears that there was just enough power in its capacitors to activate the signal." She raises a hand even as she finishes this sentence. "We believe we have stopped both signals, but there's no way for us to know what was sent in the short period of time they were transmitting." The Princess takes another sip of wine. "The Ring could still build a probe, but it may just be flying past the Hostile fleet as they pass through the Desolation." Nikomachos gathers her attention briefly, and she offers him a gentle smile. "I have no doubt in the prowess of the House Militaries, nor that of the Royal Navy. We are all lucky in that regard. "She glances toward Lucretia at her words, and she frowns. "Will you tell me of these things, Lady Lucretia, if not now, then perhaps later? I will be staying a few days in Phylon to speak with Sir Kallista as well."

"Is there no way to decode the signal, to perhaps somehow begin to figure out their language and means of communication? Them sending this signal could be the first step in us being able to gain Hostile intelligence without them having any idea. This may seem bad, but it may also be a gift. An underestimation on their part." Solon reaches back, running a hand over the hilt of his sword that sticks out from behind his right shoulder. "I just want to settle these matters so that when the Hostiles are here, I can worry about leading my men and crushing as many of them as my body can possibly endure."

Nikomachos starts up in his seat at the mention of the Hostile scouts sending out signals, his brows rising sharply. He nods at Janelle's following words, leaning forward to lace his fingers together atop the table, nodding over to Solon as well, evidently agreeing with him on most points, "Or at least track the signal? Maybe we could find whatever came down in the other pods that way, Your Highness." Frowning just a little, he adds, "What measures with King Symion or Prince Emund approve to find them?"

"I would agree," Janelle says with a nod of her golden head, fingers crossing together as she considers both of the Knights. "Perhaps that this is something you could bring to the Orelles and their vassals, Lord… I will not be able to be the go-between much longer… after all… a tournament is coming." And there is a bit of a hard edge to her smirk before it smooths once more. Then she regards Nikomachos. "My brother has not been involved in the Hostile technology nor the Orelle findings. I cannot speak on his behalf, but the King will be informed as we speak from Lord Ilo concerning these matters. If I know my father, he will find merit in your suggestions, Sirs."

"I'll be sure to bring it up with the Orelles. So, where do we go from here?" Solon asks, already finished his first pastry and starting on the second. "I'd offer to put on a sparring show for you, but I'm already quite bruised and need to be in shape for the tournament. Also I'm not inclined to hurt too many of the men. I do need opponents, after all. Or, do you have any other issues you'd like to raise?"

Lucretia nods slowly as she listens to others after agreeing to discuss other things with the princess at another time. She's not completely clueless in regards to technology, but it's hardly a strong point for her, so she simply observes. Her nephew's remark about a sparring show causes her to roll her eyes towards the ceiling, a smile on her lips, "Save it for the tourney, dear nephew. We need you and cousin Niko to represent our family."

Nikomachos nods his head at Janelle, the Princess's words apparently confirming what he already assumed. He sips at his wine, a hint of a smile touching his lips at the taste. A moment later, he blinks and looks back up, catching up to whatever he might have missed. Chuckling and shaking his head at Solon, he nods at Lucretia's words, "You've already bruised Ellie up," the diminutive just slips out, but he forges ahead, "that should keep you sated for at least a couple of days, shouldn't it?"

Janelle quirks up a brow in some amusement at the young Cindravale Knight. "You needn't impress me with a spar match, Lord… I do look forward to seeing you show at the tournament however." The woman does offer him a graceful smile as she sips at her wine once more. "And I am certain a young woman will offer both of you their favor." She cannot help but offer Lucretia a woman's smile, that knowingly kind. Then she sobers a bit. "Honestly, where to go from here… is what I told the Orelles. Prepare. I doubt that the Hostiles will wait the assumed six months to strike. They may be on our doorstep before Midsummer at this rate."

"I'll definitely start with trying to make infrared helmets a standard rather than a premium. I don't want to wait until the last minute to have an invisible army on our doorstep. But I fear that might end up being the least of our problems." Solon nods to the princess, then stands, apparently ready to help her up. "Either way, we can at the very least enjoy this tournament before too much stress arises."

Lucretia returns the Princess's smile easily, her emerald eyes bright with amusement. The Witch glances to her nephew, nodding as he speaks up again, "We must be ready, all of us. It does us little good if the common soldier we have on duty as sentry can not see what we are up against." As he rises, she waits to whether the blonde woman is actually getting up or not.

Nikomachos frowns thoughtfully, "It'll mean scouts against scouts," Since only scout armor comes with infrared vision standard, "but I suppose they're the best to find these Hostiles anyhow." He nods to Janelle as well, "I'll focus on the tourney, try to keep up morale with either a grand showing or hilarious failure," his smile is crooked and self-deprecating, "and stay out of the way of the professional scouts and hunters." Niko likewise waits to see if Janelle will be rising — after all, she doesn't need two Valen fawning over her. "Cindravale will not let you down, Your Highness."

The Princess has finished off her wine, setting the glass aside thoughtfully. There is a brief moment of hestitation as the Young Lord stands, though it is a meager breath befor ehse also stands. Janelle glances toward Lucretia briefly. "Lady Lucretia… lets have tea tomorrow. We can discuss more about the Awakened and Hostiles." She then smiles toward Nikomachos, offering the Valen a gentle nod. "I would not expect anything less from the Vale." She then nods to her guards, and they step forward to resume formation around their charge.

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