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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 2, 2014 21:22:45 GMT
Leaving the tournament feast behind, Bron led Sayoko down some steps descending to the shore below Christallo manner. By this time the sun had set and the full moon was rising behind the manner and shining off the waves of the sea. The stars were bright and the long arch of the galaxy was a dense ribbon of milky white overhead. Bats were flitting around, catching insects along the crest of the white cliffs, an the sound of the breaking waves was a constant rhythm, drowning out the noise of the feast above. In Elon, the nights were still fairly warm and the cool breeze off the ocean was pleasant on their faces.
"Careful," Bron said, "The steps are a little uneven at the base here." He held her hand, as they jumped off the final stone steps and onto the sandy beach.
"Ikegami Sayoko, may I present to you the Southern Sea." Bron gestured toward the immense stretch of gleaning waves, surging surf and dark water." He smiled. The sea was looking good tonight and he was happy about that. He wanted Sayoko to be impressed. "Quite a sight huh?"
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Post by ravigen on Dec 4, 2014 3:48:37 GMT
Sayoko nodded slowly, taking a long moment to stare out over the sea, eyes taking in everything she could see. In Kegosu the Kitahi river that ran along the city's edge was nowhere near this big and it was edged with dirt, not sand, she bent down to feel the sand beneath her hands, it was rough and coarse but new and she found she liked it.
"It's beautiful, like the mountains at night." She took a step closer to the water to get a better look, the air was different here as well, salty and she found herself breathing in deeply, enjoying the scent.
"Truly this is perhaps the best thing so far from this trip, thank you Bron." |
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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 4, 2014 3:59:10 GMT
He smiled, feeling elated again. Taking a deep breath as well, he looked up at the moon.
"Shall we go for a walk along the shore?" he asked after a moment and causally took her hand again , before walking south along the beach. "So what have you done all you life?" he asked curiously, "You told me all the nobles serve for ten years in the military, but ten years is a small silver from 125."
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Post by ravigen on Dec 4, 2014 4:06:13 GMT
Sayoko followed, taking the time to just...look at everything, it was new and exciting and she felt happy to just take it all in and enjoy the moment, Bron's hand in hers was warm, the company was nice and she felt calm and at peace.
"Well, ten years is the minimum required but many choose to stay on longer, my service was forty years from my twenty-fifth year to my sixty-fifth, before and after I spent time training in the various styles of my people mastering each as fast as able. After that I was needed to take more diplomatic lessons, administrative work and the like, things I would need to inherit the rulership."
She'd particularly liked her father's lessons on Architecture and how to build things, it was fun, interesting and reminded her of her dream to build a strong nation for her people, for their own prosperity.
"I suppose you could say that I have spent more than half a decade training to be the Daimyo after my father." |
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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 4, 2014 4:20:52 GMT
"I suppose knowing your duty and purpose so clearly, gives you an obvious path to walk," Bron said, "Though I imagine preparing for such a heavy responsibility can't be easy. I do hope you get the chance to travel more and come visit the west again though," he said. "Once the war with the Waistland orcs is over, you should see the western parries and river lands, beyond the Empire's reach. Or visit the forests around Dorn and Jurturna and sail a skiff along the coasts."
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Post by ravigen on Dec 4, 2014 4:27:54 GMT
Sayoko smiled and nodded, a thoughtful look on her face as she took in the endless sea before her, the thought of doing more had occurred to her but she'd never gotten around to it, always something to do in Kegosu or one of the surrounding villages, it was never the right time or the right conditions but perhaps after the war, with the lands somewhat at peace she could finally explore a bit, see the world that was awaiting.
"A sound idea, I will have to consider it, though you are of Dorn are you not?" she offered him a small smile, "Perhaps you could show me around the frontier?"
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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 4, 2014 4:34:32 GMT
"Well, I do know the frontier about as well as anyone who isn't a Waistlander can," Bron said, smiling slightly. "When I as 19 I thought I was going to live out there forever. Built myself a cabin and swore I'd never go back to civilization. Figured I didn't need anyone, or anything I could make or find for myself."
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Post by ravigen on Dec 4, 2014 4:42:59 GMT
Sayoko chuckled, a log cabin, the idea was absurd and if she proposed it to her Father or siblings or any of the landed Samurai they would protest vehemently at the thought of such a thing, but she found it amusing and an intriguing idea, she was no stranger to camping or staying outdoors, having performed many treks into the mountains bordering her home.
"And look at you now, a landed noble, you've come quite far Bron, I will have to seriously consider a trip to Dorn in the future." she smiled, even winked a bit. |
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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 4, 2014 5:16:40 GMT
"Maybe after the tournament you can visit Dorn and my lands are a little further to the southwest of there" he said, "I'm still, uh, building the estate house and there aren't many people living near by yet, but the queen is hoping to establish a village settlement sometime in the next couple of years."
Truth was his lands, while rich in forests and farm lands, was still mostly undeveloped wilderness, between Elon and Jurturna. There were a few pioneer settlers who'd moved out with him and were helping biuld the first houses and clear the lands, but there was still a lot of work to be done yet.
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Post by ravigen on Dec 4, 2014 20:08:16 GMT
Sayoko nodded thoughtfully, he was a recent noble, the estate not even built, but dedicated an determined. All good qualities for nobility in her mind at least, but for a moment she wondered if perhaps she was getting too involved in this? She was to inherit an entire kingdom and he a recent noble without much notable land of her own, many would scoff at it but she shook away the thought, she was determined herself. Certainly he himself had hinted that their friendship had plenty of obstacles, social status, age, longevity and the like.
But if she was to inherit the lordship then she would rightfully be able to make her own decisions about who she befriended, whose company she enjoyed and more, convincing her father would be easy, he'd always been willing to hear her out and she just needed to word it right. But this would be something to worry about another time, for now she smiled and nodded along with his words.
"Well you were just recently given a title and lands, give it time Bron, and perhaps after you show me Dorn I can show you my home, that sounds like a fair exchange right?"
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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 5, 2014 5:41:02 GMT
He nodded, "I would very much like to see the mountains of your homelands."
Pausing in their walk, he looked at her. He could see the moonlight shining on her jet black hair and the light reflecting off the water, dancing on her thoughtful face.
Letting out a heavy breath, Bronsyn ran a hand though his own hair. "I know it will probably never work out for us, Sayoko, uh, not the way I would like most anyway, but I just want to you know, that I'm very glad I got the chance to meet you."
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Post by ravigen on Dec 5, 2014 7:00:50 GMT
Sayoko glanced at him, a bit amused at his response before shaking her head and resisting the urge to chuckle at his response. Honestly his reticence was a bit charming, he said he didn't care much for honor and tradition but he was turning out to be a pretty honorable and decent man. She turned to gaze up at the moon, she'd always liked staring up at the moon it was good for relaxation and contemplation, perfect for the moment.
"I think things are working out well between us, I'm a bit curious as to why you think this isn't working, you're quite the character Bron." She paused, looked down at the waves and the sea again before turning to face him.
"I like you, you're a good friend, and despite the difference in race I want to see this through to the end, whatever that end may be." Patience could go sit in the corner for all she cared, |
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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 5, 2014 7:13:08 GMT
"Good friend huh?" Bron asked, and tried to give a grin. It came out a little crooked however, and he ran a hand through his hair. He'd been fantasying about being a lot more then friends, but maybe he'd misjudged her reactions to him. After all, he knew next to nothing about elvs. He supposed friends was really the best he could hope for and it certainly wasn't something he was going to dismiss.
"Yeah. I suppose so. You're a good friend too, Sayoko." he walked forward slightly and splashed his boot in the surf, before turning to glance back at her, "I don't reckon that amid all those fighting styles, diplomacies and whatnot, they taught you to swim in that mountain kingdom of yours?"
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Post by ravigen on Dec 5, 2014 7:18:00 GMT
Sayoko glanced over to the surf, shaking her head in response to his question. The river in Kegosu could get plenty deep in places and she heard that many of the cities occupants swam in the summer to alleviate the heat but she had spent more time in Shimaga-jo then Kegosu and there it wasn't worth learning and too cold for it anyways, the closest she'd been to water was her bathing and the hot springs next to the manor and they didn't really count.
"No, I can't say that I've ever been taught to swim, in the mountains it was never a skill worth learning. I assume you can swim Bron?" |
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Post by missmilkmaid on Dec 5, 2014 7:22:41 GMT
"Most of the people in Elon live within a day's journey of the ocean. In the summers half the kids in the kingdom can be found by the beaches." He kicked that the surf agains splashing water in her direction and then ginned, "I could give you a few pointers if you like?"
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