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 Kyna tir Vaandrel, (Forced) Servant and (Unofficial) Squire The Cradish folk often lived simple but harsh lives, overseen by their Elven lords and ladies, and Kyna’s childhood was no different in this regard. Taxes were It was a particularly cold and cruel winter, the sixteenth that Kyna faced, and by the elders’ words the worst harvest seen in decades. The crops had died, withered by months of drought, and many of the villagers were starving, or had starved already. Yet, they would survive, so the adults of the village spoke. Enough was kept even after they gave much to their elven lords, that while they would suffer some losses, the village would continue on. But. Kyna’s own mother was one of those wasting away, their family’s reserves close to none, and the others had little to share. A desperate time. And in desperate times, people take desperate actions. When Kyna saw the elven men on horseback as she returned to the village, her chest began to tighten. When she snuck into her home and saw the full-grown buck her younger brothers carried, her heart sank. Still, she could not find it in herself to reprimand them. She had been considering much the same, after all. With a wry smile and an exchanged look between daughter and father, Kyna rushed to meet the elven officials face-to-face. When they professed they were in pursuit of poachers, she declared herself to be the one. Even then, the men there knew something was amiss. They had seen multiple offenders, after all. But one of the men, an older sort even for the elves, brought his horse forward. He looked at Kyna, looked down at her, and simply nodded, before motioning for one of the others to take her. Kyna knew not what to expect as she was brought to Vaandrel. To lose a hand, most likely. Or perhaps she would be demeaned in some way. Shamed or maimed, she had no high hopes for her near future. Yet she would soon find herself surprised, for it seemed the older elf had taken… not quite a liking to her, so much as an amused acknowledgment. (Not that Kyna could tell at the time, as hard to read as the man was.) A knight of some renown, and the brother of the lord of Vaandrel, Amaranthus tir Vaandrel decided to entertain the whim he had, and began to mentor the young woman, ignoring the mixture of outrage and disbelief from his brethren around him. At first relieved if bewildered, Kyna soon found her mentor’s decision to be its own form of punishment. Her own family’s name was stripped from her, replaced with the city she was brought to. Every action she took then, as well as the consequences it brought, would be reflected upon her ‘benefactors.’ Every day was fraught with studies and compiling duties, a squire in all but name. All of the responsibilities, and none of the recognition. No, none at all, and far from recognition, all those around her judged and criticized, whether she succeeded or failed. And yet, Kyna survived, and she learned. Not all of it took, but she learned from Amaranthus nonetheless. Of tenets and expectations. Of vows and obligations. Of the weight of a knight. Before she knew it, eight years had passed. It was not long after that Amaranthus informed her he would have to leave Vaandrel, and for much longer than any of his prior trips throughout her apprenticeship. As always, she asked to be brought along, and as always, he refused. “There is more than enough for you to accomplish here in my stead,” he would say. He was right, Kyna knew, but the glares she felt only grew colder while her mentor was away. Nevertheless, she saw him off, and prepared herself for her first task: serving as a guard for some merchant company’s ship that had ties to Vaandrel. Little could she have known that this trip would be the time the Dominion would see fit to strike... quote:Profile TheFireMagi fucked around with this message at 20:45 on May 9, 2018 |
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May 7, 2018 18:10
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quote:You have not chosen the life before you, but it speaks to one's true soul if they accept it. The opportunity will come where you can return to the life you were pulled from. What is going to keep you back, and make you committed to the life of not just a mariner, but a buccaneer? Back in my village, we all worked together, through the worst of times and the best of times. But it was a small village, where the people all knew one another. Out here in the city, and in the world as a whole I expect, we are not so close. Eight years in Vaandrel and I doubt I know even a percent of the people that live here. The idea we should work hand in hand, that we should struggle together, is difficult to follow through on when you know nothing about the other party. There are some who would take advantage of that unfamiliarity, even. Or many, as my mentor believes. “Few of us follow so righteous a path,” he says. Righteous. I… have never thought of myself as such. I simply am who I am. The tenets I have learned from Amaranthus has not changed that. Guided me some, maybe, or put to words how I have always felt. But I do not think I would have took to the lessons as I have if I did not already have some belief in them. Perhaps my head is in the clouds, enamored with the idea a single man or woman could truly change, if not the world, then the people on it. To be a guiding light, an example to be followed. My brothers always seemed to look up to me as such, at least. Why not others? If I can inspire but a single person, I would be satisfied. And if I can reach out to even more, then… The life of a buccaneer, or a pirate if we are being honest, seems at odds with that goal. And I will not pretend that I am entirely fine with it, as it were. Still, there are times when the law holds us back from assisting others, even if it is not intentional. The freedom to work around that is useful. Dangerous, for what it can lead to, but useful. Yes, while I am not certain this is the best path, I do believe that there are benefits to it that would be unavailable elsewise. Plus, I believe it’s given me a different perspective, sailing the seas like this. I would like to think it’s helped me in understanding the kind of people I want to reach out to. ...Also, mmm, there is something romantic about being able to call yourself a pirate, don’t you agree? quote:And perhaps most importantly, with this lifestyle, there will be a lot of grim choices. What is the boundaries your character would set for themselves, and the boundaries they would set for others? I cannot expect others to see the world the same way that I do. Even if they were to share in my beliefs, it’s impossible for them to have the exact perspective that I do. That is why I am reluctant to impose my ideals upon those I help. I want to guide others, of course, and be an example if I can. But if I demand others to follow, that’s more like… a tyrant, or some such. It’s different than what I want to be, I think. The only person I am in control of myself so, I’ll hold myself to my own beliefs and the tenets that Amaranthus has taught me as long as I can, as best as I can. Even if I know it’s foolish, considering our circumstances and the situations we often find ourselves in, I wish to stay true to myself, I suppose. As for others, well. For those I travel with, I simply ask they avoid meaningless violence. Though where the line is drawn for ‘meaningful’ violence is difficult to say. At the least, I want to avoid ruthlessness for the sake of ruthlessness. The world at large is harsher than I knew, and conflict can not always be avoided, or even often avoided. Even so, I would wish to at least try and get our foes to surrender if they understand us. If we must fight, then, there is no need to prolong it. An attempt at diplomacy, a quick and painless battle if it is necessary. That is a reasonable compromise, I believe. quote:What would compel them to continue to see hope? Surely.
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May 8, 2018 22:55
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Alas, didn't make it, but can't be mad, there was a lot of quality going around. Have fun with the game peeps that made it in, and I'd definitely be interested in bringing Kyna in as backup if the opportunity ever arose.
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May 12, 2018 02:12
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