knightsoflegend | prologue ♔ just a bubble in a perfect paintjob

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prologue ♔ just a bubble in a perfect paintjob

♬ Weird Friendless Kid - Emiliana Torrini

WHO || Christos La Krail, Primrose Everdeen [Closed]
WHAT || Prim finds a home, when Christos finds a possible connection to his squire's past in her
WHERE || Government-run orphanage in Germany
WHEN || Sometime in April
HOW || Actionspam

[ Veil arrivals are usually left to fend for themselves - to hope to find a kind stranger to orient them to this world or point them to one of the places designed to do so. Even then, they're expected to eventually find their own way. Make a new life here.

Not everyone is capable of that, however, given that the Veil doesn't discriminate by age. Small children, babies, and young adults are as likely to arrive as anyone else, and governments around the world each have their own philosophy with how to treat them.

Prim arrived in Germany, where young amnesiacs with no identification were whisked off to a number of established orphanages, which received very little funding considering the numbers stuffed into them. Prim's life since her arrival has basically been a slightly less hard-knock version of Annie.

Until now. It's lights out by the time the stranger arrives, and the head of the orphanage, Frau Dittrich, ushers them all towards the stairs as there's a knock on the door. Prim's one of the last to head up, and a glance back over her shoulder would give her a look at the arrival: who doesn't look particularly friendly with his hard expression, barely visible below a foreboding black cloak. His skin is an unnatural dark gray, something she still wouldn't have seen up close and personal in this world, even though the orphanage is populated with children of elven, dwarven, or even halfling descent.

She asks him and tells him to wait until all the children are gone, apologizing for the hurry. He says nothing, and his eyes trace up the stairs, landing on Prim. He gives her a long, hard, silver-eyed stare. ]

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[To say that the past stretch of time has been difficult would be an understatement. It's hard to learn to adapt in a place filled with other children, ones that are noisy and need constant looking after and attention. Prim doesn't mind watching after the younger ones, and her quiet demeanor has even made friends with most of the ones older than she is. The daytime isn't all that bad, when there's toddlers and preschoolers to chase after and play with. It's at night, when she's left alone and cuddled up in bed with a three year old with dark hair and even darker eyes that her heart aches. She knows that there's a home she's missing and a place to belong that she's lacking, and a family out there that must want her.

But if there's really no going back to where she came from, maybe it's best that her place be here with these children. They need someone to care for them, and so many of them aren't going to be taken in elsewhere.

It's after a particularly long day that Prim finds herself trudging upstairs to bed last. Usually she's one of the first, making sure that the other children aren't arguing or hitting one another. But she's tired enough to drag her feet and not hurry to catch up to the others, and so she's able to view the man as he arrives and speaks to Frau Dittrich.

Curious, she pauses and glances over her shoulder at him. He doesn't seem to look like anyone she's seen before, but perhaps he recognizes her, with the way he's staring. Her feet feel too heavy to move as their eyes lock and she remains in place. She straightens up as tall as possible, and although her gaze is kind, it's unrelenting. She wonders what kind of business a man like him has here, in a place filled with abandoned and forgotten children.

Not wanting Frau Dittrich to insist that she hurry up along with the others, she gulps down a steadying breath of air before trotting down the stairs to stop before the two adults gathered in the entry. ]

Is everything okay? No one normally shows up at our door this late at night.

[ she looks obviously flustered by prim's sudden intrusion, and looks between the man and the girl, wiping her hands anxiously on her apron.

"Everything is fine, liebchen. He is here on some busin--" But she's interrupted by the man, who speaks bluntly, eyes never veering off Prim. ]

Is this her?

[ the woman looks as if she's been caught in the act of something and slows her hands, saying carefully: "... y-e-es, this is the child."

he seems to have lost all interest in the woman now that she's answered that, and takes a step closer to her, eyes boring into her face as if searching for something in the features of it.

when he looks abruptly satisfied, he turns on his heel sharply, to face frau dittrich. ]

She's coming with me. [ there's absolutely no room for argument in his tone, and he remarks to prim without even looking back at her: ] Gather what you own, girl.

[She gulps, and stares up at the man with wide eyes. He's not looking at her, but she thinks that maybe he can feel her uncertainty reeking off of her if she does this.]

With you.

[She glances back toward the stairs, toward the children that are stuck here along with her. Her eyes briefly head back over toward Frau Dittrich, and eventually back on this stranger. This very demanding and authoritative stranger. She knows that she longs to leave this place, even if she'll miss some of the children. She doesn't think this is the right place for her, that maybe she's meant for more than this.

So it's with hope that maybe this man knows her and knows her place that she eventually nods, and turns to run up the stairs. She returns a few minutes later with a small bag containing her nightclothes. With minimal hesitation, she finds herself at the stranger's side.]

Before we leave, I should know where we're going.

Edited 2013-04-17 01:31 (UTC)

[ the two are deep in conversation when she returns - or rather frau dittrich is, for christos seems to be doing all he can to tune her out, casting his gaze over the furnishings of the building as if evaluating all of it, and finding it wanting. or annoying, even, from the way his eyes narrow.

when prim appears beside him, he slides his gaze at her, but it's frau dittrich who answers her question:

"This man will take you to those that have a claim on you, child." it's hard to miss her distrustful side glance, just as it's impossible to miss that despite any misgivings about christos' intentions, there's palpable relief at having one less mouth to feed, even if the girl was helpful to have around. ]

[Prim hears that relief, so she tries to seem happy to lessen the burden, happy to finally find someone who can show her where she belongs. Awkwardly, she reaches over to touch at Frau Dittrich's arm, almost curling her fingers into her sleeve. This woman was the one person who took her in and cared for her during her time here, and there's a level of attachment there.

But she knows this phase of her life here is over, and its' time to move on. With this man, this man that's too quiet and stares and intimidates her more than she'd like to let on.]

We should go. It's late, don't you think? We'll wake up the children.

[She tips her head to stare up at the man now, almost scrutinizing him. She doesn't do it to be rude, she does it to try and learn more about him in any way possible. The way he smells, the way he stands, the way he acts. All of it are little pieces that need to be combined together, need to be sorted out.]

Thank you. [She turns to glance at frau Dittrich now, smiling.]

For everything. But you don't need to worry about me anymore.

[ her observations yield interesting little results: the strange smell of clove cigarettes that lightly clings to his cloak, the guarded alertness in his posture, the way he keeps his back turned so that he can watch all entrances.

frau smiles wanly at prim and then leads down to give her a quick, but strong hug.

"You'll do just fine, dear. I know it. We'll miss you."

she pulls back, clasping her hands together nervously as if unsure what to do with them. not that she's relieved the girl, the stranger seems to want nothing more to do with her and turns towards the door without a word of goodbye. ]

[Her fingers fumble to try and cling hold of the woman just a bit longer. She's afraid, nervous, but unwilling to let them show as much as some of the other children would. When she's left standing there alone, she can't bring herself to glance back toward her caretaker one last time.]

We should go.

[It's whispered, more of a request than a demand. She glances up at her new guardian, wondering if that's what he is at all, and then follows him out of the door. It's only after they've walked a good way away from the building that tears start to form in her eyes.]

Who are you, really?

[ he doesn't notice the crying, so intent is he on directing her to where the dark car waits, but he apparently hears them in the slight quaver of her voice, and looks back, blinking as if mildly surprised by either the question or the outburst. ]

I'm a Knight. [ he sounds almost darkly amused by the statement. ]

[She isn't sure if he's joking with her or not, but she thinks that he doesn't seem the type to really joke around, especially not after coming in the middle of the night to pick a girl up from an orphanage. She's caught between a bit of starry eyed wonder and uncertainty, not really clear on why a knight would want to have anything to do with her.]

Why a knight?

[That's not the right way to ask what she wants, so she shakes her head and tries again.]

Why would a knight want someone like me?

[ he frowns deeply, as he moves to open the passenger door. ] Would you rather I go back for a different child?

I didn't say that. [She points it out gently, and looks up at him like he's one of those adults that's too tricky to take your eyes off of. She can tell he's definitely going to be one of those, and she slides into the car to sit down with a concerned gulp.]

It just doesn't feel real, that's all. But not many things have, so that's okay.

[But her curiosity about why a knight still is tugging at her, and she waits until he's inside the car before trying again.]

What are you a knight of? Do you fight for a queen?

No queen, no country. [ he repeats the words like a familiar, ironic mantra. ] I'm a Knight of the Silver Dragon.

[She stares over at him for a long time, completely silent. Minutes pass, probably. It feels like forever, there's so much doubt and tension racing through her.]

Am I going to get to be a Knight too? [A childish question, maybe, but she's curious.]

[ rather than give her a firm 'no', he simply looks over as he drives ] How old are you?

Twe -

[No, wait. That's not right. She's older now.]

Thirteen.

[She looks up at him then, with an expression that dares him to say that thirteen year olds aren't knight material.]

[ his eyes take in that expression, and then he looks forward and says matter-of-factly: ] In three years, Wynn might take you. That's as young as he allows squires.

But what about until then? Three years is a long time, a really long time.

[Her hands clutch at the seatbelt and she gulps. She's not sure she's going to like the answer, but she can't bring herself to look away from him.]

[ after a moment, he looks back at her, thoughtful ] How would you like to live in a castle?

I haven't given it much thought before.

[But obviously, she needs to think about it now. So she does, and eventually shrugs.]

As long as I can make myself useful, I think it could be nice. I've never even seen a castle in person before, so it's hard to imagine myself living in one.

[But castles are so very big, and there's so much space to wander and not do a single thing in, and that sounds like it can get boring very quickly. She's smiling, though. She's definitely intrigued.]

Wynn, the man who runs our Order, sometimes lets those from other worlds live with us, if they choose to earn their keep. You'd need only do what work you feel suits you: cooking, cleaning, perhaps tending a garden.

Wynn.

[She tests out the name, it feels strange on her tongue.]

I can earn my keep, and then some. I'm good at gardening and cleaning. Cooking, too. And I know how to help fix people. [A pause.]

Heal them, I mean. I can grow things in the gardens and use them to make medicine.

An interesting skillset for a young girl.

It is? [She acts like that's news to her, like she's unaware.]

I guess it fits that I'm going to a castle, then. That's interesting too. [It's a bit of sass, but it comes out gentle and soft. There's no bluntness or harsh tones to her words. It just is what it is.]

[ that gets a small snort, almost a laugh of some kind. ] Not an entirely poor argument.

There are plenty of injured who pass through. They'll be glad for another set of hands in the infirmary, if you don't get underfoot in an emergency.

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