2014.7.25 Pistols at High Noon
Contents
Setting
Summary
Shortly after the celebrations of Highsummer orchestrated by Conrad and Slaine, Countess Naevys ap Gwydion proclaimed she would be running the holiday of Pennons. However, Naevys had received a personal invitation to Highsummer by Conrad which was not followed upon by either presence or letter! To rectify the slight against the so-called Master of Ceremonies, Conrad went to the Freehold of Naevys to confront her about it. It went quite differently than expected.
Location
County of Lion's Reach - Caer Buillemilis - Receiving Room
This room is the height of opulent extravagance meshed with cold impersonality. Parquet flooring creates illusions of depth within the highly polished wood floors. Patterned rugs provide areas of softness and warmth, laid in front of elegantly upholstered divans, the heavy brocade fabric stiff, if silky to the touch. The walls are paneled in white wainscoating, inlaid with gilt gold leaf designs. The remainder of the walls are covered in a white and gold moire silk, the watercolored patterns within the fabric giving the walls additional shimmer. Crystal chandaliers drip with spears and beads of solid light, rainbows dancing within the prisms and cast upon the walls. Along one side of the room is a large hearth, which holds a small, brightly colored balefire. This flame is a small one, but steady, capable of healing and warming the room with its glamourous presence.
Contents: Naevys Obvious Exits:
Double Doors
Scene
Meager
It would be no surprise that Naevys was unprepared for the arrival of Ser Audron Veles, in proper Sidhe knight attire. Dark Sidhe Plate with Varich tabbards over it and giving into a touch of that Sidhe flare. Sword on the hip, shield over the shoulder. He looks...well...like a Knight, rather than a vagabond and an utter sellsword. When he arrives and speaks to the major domo that he is here to speak to the Countess, it becomes obvious that this is an unscheduled visit. A glare of course makes it easier to get the point across, and he is shown into the receiving room to await the Countess's pleasure. Even when you manage to shake up organization, power still needs to be shown even if it is just making someone wait. Conrad doesn't mind waiting, so he stands observing the room in idle wait. Contemplating.
Indeed, there will be those few minutes of wait time - a few minutes that be forever with a Gwydion, that is. Soon, however, Naevys steps into the receiving room from another entrance. Unlike the Knight, she is dressed simply in leather pants and a tunic in her house colors, her sword belted at her hip, and hair pulled back and braided to lay down her back. Her gaze flickers across Ser Audron Veles before she speaks, "A good day to you, Ser." While a guard might linger at the doorway, a brief gesture to her majordomo has the man turning and exiting back the way they came, the door shut quietly behind him.
Audron turns around and looks at Naevys. "There she is. Always a delight to see you, Grafinya. My day is already perfect because of your presence." He turns to look at her more fully giving her a once over. "You look as scandalously delicious as always." He gives her a smirk. "How are you?"
Slowly is there the lift of one brow at the teasing words spoken by he, one that brings an eventual curl of her lip upwards as well, "And there you are..." Steps are taken closer, the distance eaten up by her casual stride, "Doing better now that I am back home again. I only just received your letter.." Might there be a note of disappointment that she might have missed an entertaining evening in her voice? Perhaps. Conrad arched a brow to her. "Just got home. Ah. Of course." He gives her a smirk, helping her close the gap. "That -does- lead me to the reason, actually, of why I am here Grafinya. If of course, you would permit me to speak...somewhat freely?"
A hand then gestures to the nearby seating, "Please, speak freely." She might have ofered him a seat, but such is not so easy when one is in plate, right? Even if it's sidhe plate. By his words, there comes a look of certain seriousness combined with curiosity. "I did read your letter.... "
Audron looks at the chair and looks back at her, waving a hand and then gesturing to his awesome, metallic figure as the explanation of why he is refusing the offer. Even horseback sucks in Sidhe plate. It grinds all the wrong spots. "I am glad you did, but it does not give me any peace to know." He is thoughtful for a moment. "I offered the Grafinya a personal invitation to Highsummer. I wanted to see you there, in all your radiance and glory." He clucks his tongue. "yet...not only did you not show up, or offer me a letter saying you could not attend but! Two days hence after Highsummer...you announce you are running Pennons? While I would not be surprised at you desiring to host Pennons knowing your nature...but to declare it 3 months early? And so soon after -my- hosted celebration that you did not attend was finished? What am I to make of this...serendipidous turn of events?"
The points he makes seem to draw a warming of her cheeks, and yet the woman stands quietly still, her gaze no less intent upon the Knight before her. "I did not expect to be gone so lone, and had every intention of joining you for the evening at your invitation, Sir Audron." A pause, and she sighs, "I am sorry that my duties had me returning when they did." As for Pennons, she smiles, "It will be my first time hosting such a thing, so I figured I'd best get on the job.. I meant no disrespect for your own festivities. If you believe that of me, well..."
The Challenge
Audron is contemplative. He can't fault her for not showing up due to duties elsewhere. He's not that huge of an asshole. "It is not simply that, Grafinya. It is the fact of what everyone has thought of the actions as they have occurred." He lets out a breath looking at her. "My reputation as the unsanctioned Master of Ceremonies has been tarnished. And now your entering the holiday market, I must defend my holiday streak-title with due diligance. As such! There is only one thing that can be done, considering the mood, persons involved and the event spawning it." He gives her a wink, reaching into a satchel at his side and pulling out a small, decorative gauntlet and tosses it on the ground between them.
"They have?" Naevys asks of him, perhaps becoming a tad confused to some degree. "Your... reputation? But, I thought such was held by another in the county who's been here far longer than you.." Hah! Ahem. Still, as the decorative gauntlet is pulled out and thrown to the ground between, she tenses and looks to him then, chin lifted upwards in acceptance. "Shall I pick the weapons then, Ser Audon? I assume you have the date and time chosen for this challenge?"
Audron arches a brow. "Oh now it's on like Donkey Kong, Grafinya." Apparently she misheard things slightly. "You may of course pick the weapons, however permit me to offer a suggestion of terms. You may of course accept them as you wish, as the challenger." He opens his hands out, he's so generous. "Our duel presents our crisis of Pennons, the victor shall not only have the -luxury- of declaring themselves the victor of this bout but also lays claims to Samhain." Oh yes. Actual terms. "But that leaves one aspect of our feud unresolved and that is Highsummer. Which, for your presentation." He reaches behind him and pulls out two what-seem-to-be old-fashioned revolvers. "Will dictate the theme. No one had a duel at Highsummer, and the Old West was riddled with them. So I thought, if you felt like you missed out...bring a little Highsummer into it. Pistols at dawn." He holds them out for her to look at, dangling by the triggerguard on his fingers as he offers them out. "By your approval, of course. It is merely an idea."
"Is that not what you wished?" Naevys question, once again, slightly confused. Though as he makes his suggestion,t he pistols are studied and her gaze lifted once more to his, "You wish us to duel with pistols at high noon, as they did in the Old West? Fastest draw wins? Over... holidays?" She's trying to get such straight in her head, yes. She doesn't reach for the pistol, leaving it hanging by his finger before her. Dropping her hand to the butt of her sword, she shakes her head, "I... do not think such would be good."
Conrad arches a brow at her. "Grafinya...you think I would wish to actually -harm- you?" He looks around, deciding to prove a point of something. He walks over to a chair and then flips it up to where it's resting on the tabletop by the backrest. "-Please-." He takes one of the revolvers and shoots it at the bottom of the chair. It has every quality of a gun when it comes to sound. Complete with smoke. However the result is a rather un-Gwydion-colored pink that is splattered on the bottom of the chair. He looks back at Naevys. "Holidays are meant to be about fun, remember? Blowing each other's heads off is a horrible way to have fun."
Naevys watches the demonstration with quiet eyes, though at the pink dye splattering against the bottom of the chair, she turns back to the Knight. "I apologize. Things have been a little tense here lately.." Such words come with the lowering of her hand away from the pommel of her sword. "I know you tease, but at times, I do not understand." She admits quietly with a bit of a frown. "Some holidays are about fun. Others are not so much about fun, but as you would say, oneupmanship. "
Audron arches a brow. "Well....if things are tense for you now," He walks over to her and offers her a pistol. "You can tell me about it after, we have our duel now and let you blow off a bit of steam with some good ol' fashion pistol duels? We can drop the Samhain thing. My reputation is one the line! I have to contest the interloper of my holiday madnesses. But we can make it a bit more interesting. Say...change the date to oh, -now-, and what would you like if you win?"
Naevys only takes the pistol when it's handed to her, and anyone could tell it's not a weapon that she's familiar with much at all. Beyond the very basics of holding it, perhaps. If that. "First a duel, and then a date?" Just making sure she's got this right. "Samhain will be up to whomever would be looking to take it on. Pennons, however, is a County thing." Thus her right to host it.
Audron shakes his head. "So you want a date with me if you win? Wow...I might just have to lose." He must not have meant it, but is happily to play along with the idea. "I'm not looking to host Pennons. Your a swordslinger, if I tried to challenge you for Pennons it'd get nasty with blood everywhere and a huge fireball and just blah." He laps his mouth to prove the distaste.
"Ait.. I..." Not exactly what she meant, but hey, she won't argue much at the moment. Eventually, Naevys can't help but laugh softly, "I'd take it easy on you." Such confident words offered in her own form of tease to the other Sidhe. "So we're doing this here, or shall we go out to the watchtower?"
"To shoot each other with paint?" He gestures toward where the front door of her hold would be. "There's wide open spaces, -literally- outside the front door. We step out, we get someone to blow a horn at an internal, and then turn each other into pink little roses." He chuckles. "Alrighty. My reputation perseveres if I win, you rob me of my glorious title and get a date with me if you win." The odds are...somehow...extremely stacked in his favor. "Yo! Let my helper in here!" He says over to the door.
No one would expect a Musky, Satyr Kinain carrying clothes to be causing trouble? So the guards outside let him enter, and he offers two belts with gun holsters. "Meet me outside in say..ten minutes? And be -prepared- madam. I will not be an easy opponent."
The Duel
Naevys laughs, then hands the gun back to him, "As you wish then, Ser Audron." When belts arrive, she takes one to belt about her waist, settling it over that which holds her sword against her hip. "No need to wait. I am ready if you are, Ser Audron." No time like the present to get her ass kicked with the gun, right? She nods to the guard, and then will follow them out of the receiving room and out into the nearby Dreaming. There's an area where her personal guards train and live but nothing like the Watchtower.
Audron, for his credit, needs to get limber. Which consists of two minutes of the Kinain unstrapping the top of his armor off. "Sometimes you gotta throw the Gauntlet down in -style-." Telling Naevys just -why- he was wearing his armor. Greaves and such are still on however, which is fine for him. Far easier to maneuver when you just have greaves on. He straps the gun holster to his waist, knocks the hammer back and then sticks the gun into the holster following her out to the training ground. He looks around and gives a whistle. "I'll never understand the obsession with militarization in this County." Ebon Watchtower, Naevys...even Snow Peak is obsessed with combat.
Watching as the kinain strips him of half his armor, Naevys glances away as he speaks up, "After the issues with the past, many here think it's better to be prepared than to be caught flat-footed." And so she turns back to face him then, "There are many who feel comforted by the thought that there are such in place to protect them if needed. To protect those areas who aren't so militarized."
Conrad makes his planted feet about ten yards away from her. "But it's like....everywhere though. You would expect the Ducal Army at the Watchtower would be enough to make people think 'oh shit, let's -not- assault this place'." He shakes his head. "Oh well! When my Hold is built, I'll just be THAT guy. The one who doesn't bow to peer pressure." Contrary to what people may think, for all his muscular and physical nature he'll have lore and libraries and more metaphysical themes for his. Everyone else can have the armies. He wants the cool toys.
"It's not everywhere though.." Naevys steps into place, turning to face him better. "The Baroness Liazaelyn does not have an army hidden in her glade. I do not think Baron Lonne either? I have my personal guards here.." She gestures to the nearby area. "The Ebon Watchtower is the main military holding here. And Snow Fang Peak, but they are commoner." She points out quietly. "And what will your hold be like?" She questions, curious then.
Conrad shrugs. "Dunno! I guess you'll just have to pay it a visit once it's done. Consider it a -surprise-. Contrary to my classy nature, I'm sure it will be a humbled abode." He says with a smirk. He looks over to the Satyr Kinain who haphazardly pulls out a harmonica. Because it's the only thing he has on hand to make a sound. It'll screech for sure. "But!...it's time." He's watched several western movies in preparation for Highsummer, so he has the wide-stanced finger-waggling-over-gun-maneuver down packed.
"Then I look forwards to seeing it, if such a chance is to be had." Naevys answers, on to blink when the kinain pulls out the harmonica. Well, it'll screech, that's for certain. "Time.." A slight nod of her dark head is given, and she soon mimics his own stance, though no finger-waggling is done. No, there's a look of concentration to be had on her face as she waits the signal.
Conrad has rolled initiative: 18
Naevys has rolled initiative: 11
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Conrad rolls Dexterity(4) + Firearms(3) + -3 (4 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> OOC: Quick-Drawing is hard mmkay?
<OOC> Conrad says, "Hit me :)"
<OOC> Naevys says, "And when you don't have something, that's a -1, right?"
<OOC> Naevys says, "Such as, not having Firearms."
<OOC> Conrad says, "For skills, yes."
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Naevys rolls Dexterity + -1 + -3 vs 6 for 0 successes.
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
OOC: Naevys knows no firearms.
<OOC> Conrad says, "You did not botch. This is a good thing."
<OOC> Naevys phews!
Conrad even does the western whistle, complete with WAH-WAH-WAHHHHHH. Then the Satyr Kinain blows through the harmonica which gives out a hissing little HEHEEHEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH.
Conrad knows a thing or two about guns, but fast-draw duels aren't one of them. He can shoot you out of a car window. He can just pull a gun, point it at you, and then shoot you but quick-draw duels with pistols are not his forte. He pulls the revolver out of the holster which is followed by a *boom!* and her upper chest gets a sharp stinging slap as she gets splattered with pink paint just below the shoulder.
He's likely better at the whole gun thing than Naevys! When the harmonica issues out it's raging honk, she drops her hand to the butt of the pistol. Go, go Countess with trying to draw it like a sword, which just does /not/ exactly work. So while she struggles to get it out, the loud crack of his gun is heard. Just about the time she gets the pistol out, the slap of the pink dye hitting her shoulder is felt, the surprise of it leaving her to drop her own gun to the ground. "Oh!" Mark her surprised by it.
"HAHA!" Conrad gives a victorious laugh. "Victory is mine!" He even shoots the gun in the air twice. That's what they did in the west, right? He doesn't exactly leave his position though. "But! You can have your fun." he gestures to the gun on the ground. "Pop a shot." She got splattered with paint for the fun, he can at least return the favor.
Aftermath
<OOC> Naevys is going to make the roll, just to see how badly she does. >.>
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Naevys rolls Dexterity + -1 + -3 vs 6 for 0 successes.
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
OOC: Naevys still stinks at firearms
Laughing, Naevys glances down at the pink that splatters her chest, "You won, yes.." But as he invites her to try and shoot him, she leans over to pick up the gun, holding it in her hand. Looking to him, she ponders for a moment, then takes aim and..... her shot goes WAAAAAAY wild and hits the building behind him. Whoops. At least everyone else is safe from being hit by the pink bullets!
Audron laughs. "Oh come -on-! Take yer time with it. You don't need to aim. Let your eyes guide where you want the gun to go, your arms will do the rest."
<OOC> Naevys says, "Duh.. it was rolling no dice at all. So will roll one, just to see if she can hit or not."
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Naevys rolls 1 vs 7 for 0 successes.
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
OOC: Naevys continues to stink at firearms.
<OOC> Naevys says, "Guns are NOT her weapon, nope."
<OOC> Conrad says, "Well...you dont need to roll at -3 ;)"
<OOC> Naevys laughs,and makes hte roll, sure.
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Naevys rolls Dexterity + -1 vs 6 for 0 successes.
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
OOC: Contrary to popular opinion, Naevys stinks at firearms.
<OOC> Naevys says, "See there. :P"
<OOC> Conrad says, "Even better!"
"Guns are not my weapon of choice, truly." Naevys says, still laughing once over the hint of embarrassment that came from hitting the building, so far away from what she thought she was aiming at - him! Trying to relax into the stance, she holds the gun with both hands, and takes her time, trying to sight down the barrel at him. The trigger is pulled, the gun reports and.... the building gets splattered on his other side.
Audron just laughs at the antics. Especially when she misses a second time. "Oh-kay!" He holsters his gun. "Here, lemme show you a trick." He walks over to her and positions himself behind her. "Trick of the trade, Grafinya. When you shoot a gun, do it in four steps. First, you cock the hammer back." He does it for her, like so. "Makes it easier to shoot. Then, you aim. Then! You lock your arm." He uses her arm as an example. "Bring the gun up and then before you fire, tighten your grip on it and tighten your arm. When you fire, the gun will try to go upwards from recoil. Locking your arm keeps the gun in place."
There's a soft snort, "Again, not my weapon." And after this, likely something she's going to look into learning a little about! But as he nears to handle the basic instructions, Naevys stands straighter, but turns a keen ear to the instruction offered from behind. "Are you very familiar with guns then, Ser Audron?" The question is asked as she takes aim upon the building already hit, this time trying to put a dye splatter in the middle of the other two!
Audron nods. "When I came from Arcadia I came into the world of the streets almost as instantly as a knight goes to battle. I knew of no trods, no signs of Kithain life and lived on said streets for years before I managed to travel and find another of my House to train me. Needless to say, the streets of Autumn are riddled with guns, it is best to learn their tactics if one is to survive. Shooting guns was one such talent."
Listening to his story, Naevys ahs softly, "I had it easier, some might say. Guns are not something I have had to deal with overly much. There are those within my retinue that handle them." Something that is surely to change. "Perhaps it is something you might instruct me on, if you had the time?" Another training date of sorts, this time being modern weapons instead of the usual swords.
Audron gives a polite nod. "Sure. Our sparring dates have been helping me improve my skills, so I suppose it would only be polite to return the favor." Voicing approval to her idea. "We can do it later though, since it seems like something is stressing you. However.." He leans in close. "Shooting guns is an excellent sort of stress relief." He whispers to her. "What has you so flustered, if I may ask."
"Then I thank you now, ahead of time, for the help given with learning this weapon." Naevys answers, then sighs softly at the lean, the whisper against her ear. She slowly turns towards him, "You." Straight forwards is the Gwydion. "I truly did wish to attend Highsummer as your guest. I feel as if I have failed in your wishes to get me to enjoy things."
Conrad arches a brow when she says -he- is causing her frustration. At her explanation of it, he gives her a smirk. "Your a Grafinya. I can't expect you fulfill absolutely everything I might request from you. You have your own life and duties." He shrugs. "I was put out, and then the Pennons claim. It was only natural to feel a bit....slighted. But, it's over now." Duels have a way of doing that. "Do you want to know why I was -really- disappointed at your lack of appearance?"
"I did not mean for my Pennons announcement to come across in that way." Truly, Naevys never saw it as such! But, to the last, she nods her head slowly, "I would like to know, yes." Wrds offered quietly as her gaze studies the Knight for a moment, as if to get a better judge of his emotions, perhaps.
Audron gives her a pleasant smile. "Because I am worried about you. That is all." Audron explains to her. "All flirtations and teasings aside, it is true. You say you are a new Grafinya, and I have seen the Gwydion when the crown is put upon their head. They lose themselves. Either in the power, or in the duty. They become nothing more than an echo of the title they carry, or a facade of the power they weild. They lose themselves to it, seeming to shape themselves to fulfill whatever title befalls them. Knights are more than Knights, Barons and Counts become more than that. They embody them, to such an extent it can be painful to see them. I simply wish to remind you, that it is not improper, or even wrong for Naevys, rather than the Countess, to show up every once in a while. Even the High King needs a break now and again."
Naevys truly does listen, taking his words to heart. "I hear your words, Ser Audron, and I make a promise to you, here and now, that I will not forget myself? That I will give myself time to enjoy things, and not constantly be the Countess of Lion's Reach." She knows the truth of his words, can feel them to her bones. "If nothing else, I have you who is not afraid to remind me when I should take some time to smell the roses, as it were."
Audron gives her a relaxed smile. "Good!" He gives her a playful little nudge. "And I'll even take that task for free." He gives her a wink. "Just never forget that you are more than the title you carry. I'm confident the rest will work itself out for you." He gives her a reassuring nod. "However! I have taken up a hell of a lot of your time and it seems things behind closed doors are wearing you thin. I should leave you to it so you can take a load off and a breather. Unless for some reason you want me to stay?" He gives her a mischevious little grin. "Cuz there are things I could do to help you relax. Very much so."
Naevys smiles, "Then I shall merely appoint you to that task, give you a right proper title." She's teasing now, stepping back slowly from the Knight. "I should get back to answering my missives that went unanswered while I was gone... " And yet there is a sense that she could be tempted to finding out how he means to help her relax. So many ways such could be taken, and some of them to leave her blushing! "A date soon, yes? Work first, at least for now."
Audron smirks more when she starts to blush. "...I knew deep down you were a kinky minx." He didn't even have to say anything vulgar! She did herself, in her MIND. "And work first huh?" He gives her a wink. See? All about the work. But the words are teasing. "As for titles, 'friend' I think will fit quite nicely. But! With that, I shall leave you to your missives from your adoring fans." He gives her a polite bow. "And a date? With me? And I even won the duel." Which meant he wasn't going to get one, and now he is! Woohoo! "I would happily have another date with you, Grafinya. Until then. Have a good night." He retrieves the guns, then turns toward the Satyr Kinain. "Awesome job, chico! Remind me to fill your stomach with booze before you get back on the road." He walks with the Kinain off the Freehold grounds toward the Trod.
