A Day for Knightly Conversation - RPLOG
Participants
Date
12/8/477
Log
A soft rumble leaves Flora's muzzle as she rests herself in the courtyard, a quartet of tails swaying behind her, and her eyes silently moving across the various flowerbeds in the area. Several employees are currently enjoying their afternoon-break, conversing amongst themselves, and heading in and out of the dining-room.
Three beings in white robes seem to have just finished a conversation with the high lady, leaving a stack of papers behind, wrapped in folder that denotes them as 'Confidential property of LongTech Industries'... Next on her schedule, talking with Fenris... The guards should escort him in soon enough.
Fenris clanks across the courtyard after Flora's guards. They had caught him trying once more to get the hang of all this heavy armor silliness that the arms master at the barracks was so keen on. The heavy plate was becoming gradually less cumbersome, he had to admit, but all that clanking and clattering was ridiculous. It was like wearing a peddler's wagon! Still, he had promised to wear it all day.
The tiger is sure he must look ridiculous in all this, but he still manages a cavalier smile for Flora. "You wanted to talk to me, Flora?" he asks, "Everything alright with the kittens?"
A small smile, a slight nod, and Flora gestures at the seat besides her, making sure to slip the pile of paperwork into her bag as soon as she can. "Flora is... Quite alright. Friend Sveta will recover soon enough, and mister Trace has been given temporary lodgings within the mansion, yes," she mumbles after a while, before shaking her head lightly.
The she-cat stretches out a moment, before nodding lightly. "Flora is... Doing well. The kittens, presumably as well, yes."
"I heard about the toss up here," he says, a frown flitting across his face, "I am sorry I was not around to help. But I am glad that everyone is alright." The tiger takes the proffered seat with a final clank and looks curiously at Flora. "What can I do for you today, Highlady?" he asks, his smile returning, "Is this to make sure I don't surprise you on your trip up north?"
A nod, a small flick, and a grin. "Flora was thinking, yes... Fenris has proven... Helpful in the past, yes. Flora was thinking," she mumbles, still flicking her tail. "House Longtail could do with more knights to support it, yes. Flora will of course extend this honor to those important and loyal to House Longtail or LongTech Industries, yes."
Fenris raises an eyebrow and shakes his head. "I've told you, Flora," he says, "I don't really have anything to offer LongTech. I'm not much of an innovator or alchemist or anything." He gives the tigress a lopsided smirk. "Why on earth would you want me working for LongTech at all?" he asks, "I would probably just break something important by accident!"
"That is not... What Flora said, no. Surely, Fenris is aware of House Blackback's tradition of knighting those that devote their life to the scholarly arts?" the she-cat asks with a faint smile.
"Flora is thinking of doing the same for those that help protect the new House Longtail, those that have proven themselves valuable assets of LongTech Industries, and those that have proven their loyalty to either over and over again, yes."
Fenris's eyes go wide for a second as he realizes what Flora is offering. "Are. . . are you sure?" he asks, "You really want me to be a knight for House Longtail?" The usually loquacious tiger is at a loss for words! Finally, after opening and closing his mouth two or three times and finding no words in it, the tiger rises from the bench to kneel in front of Flora. "I would be honored, High Lady," he says, "I will defend you and your family with pride, for as long as I am able." A little dramatic, perhaps, but Fenris was good at dramatic.
Flora smiles softly. "Bear in mind that it can and will, well, paint a target on Fenris's back, yes. Proverbially speaking, yes," Flora rumbles softly, shaking her head lightly and flicking her tails again. "There are several others who will also get this choice, of course, and it does mean House Longtail can call upon its knights, if needed... Flora does not intend to do so without good reason, of course."
Fenris laughs happily and raises his head. "Your children already have claim on me, dear lady," he says, "Even now before they are born. I don't see why you should not be able to call on me for any reason at all." He sombers a bit, thinking. "As for the target on my back," he says, "I suppose that it is something I can live with." The tiger briefly ponders the introduction of a new alias, since he has lost one recently. Would it be worth it to create a new persona to stand in the ranks of House Longtail in his place? He shakes the thought away. Perhaps not.
Flora nods and smiles lightly, her quartet of tails swaying lightly behind her as she leans back in that spot. "Of course, it is, above all, a title, yes. House Longtail does not, currently, have the funds to provide armor or weapons... But Flora is quite sure Fenris has his own, yes."
Fenris smiles at Flora. "How could you tell?" he asks, armor and weapons jingling as he stands and takes his seat again by Flora. "I truly am honored that you would ask me, Flora," he says, then hesitates, "Um, is there some sort of ceremony or test that I am supposed to take? I really don't know much about this sort of thing."
"Flora... Does not know, no. Flora simply knows that it is within Flora's power to appoint knights, yes. Flora will... Do some research, yes. If there is supposed to be a ceremony, there will be one, yes."
Fenris forgets sometimes that Flora knows almost as little about the nobility as he does! "You've come a long way, Highlady Flora Longtail," he says affectionately, putting an arm around the other tiger's shoulders, "Thanks for bringing me along for the ride!" After giving his friend a quick squeeze he stands and bows again. "Please feel free to call on me any time, Flora" he says, "If I can come, I will. And even if I cannot come, I will try." He smiles warmly at Flora. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asks.
Flora smiles and shakes her head, tails still aflick, her ears twitching lightly. "For now, Flora needs some time to look over these reports, yes... Flora has been informed of some... Promising results."
Fenris laughs and bows again. "Good luck!" he says with a smile, "And let me know if I have to do any ridiculous rituals to be a knight, would you?" Then the heavily armored tiger clanks his way out of the courtyard. "See you soon!" he calls back over his shoulder.
