open | The Commander's Audience at the Palace of Landed Sky

[alderwood]

Characters: The Ironwood Emperor Alderwood Commander and anyone who came to speak with the Ironwood Emperor.
Date: June 15th
Location: The Palace of Landed Sky
Situation: The expected holding of an audience for any that care to speak with the Ironwood Emperor, though they will be met instead by the Alderwood Commander.
Warnings/Rating: N/A; to be updated if necessary

The hall is still and white, strung with softly glowing lanterns that are strung up high beyond reach. Outside, the sun is at its zenith, and it filters down through the cloudy glass roof to create a brilliant, nearly blinding ambiance.

The floor is marble, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and ruby quartz. It catches the light, and casts strange patterns on the walls.

The room itself is almost eerily silent. No noise, no echoes. No one and nothing vaguely human, excepting the presence of Evandau. The Alderwood Commander stands before the Emperor's empty throne with patient expression and posture reminiscent to the at-ease bearing of a soldier. He waits to receive the petitioners, kedan and Foreigner alike, in Eshai's place this day. As with her audiences, those wishing to make their case must approach him and he will make not move to shorten the distance between the grand entryway and the throne that he defends.

The 'audience' is an open one, and no one will be turned away. So come one, come all, to the Palace of Landed Sky.

[Actionspam or prose are both acceptable! The Emperor has delegated the audience to Evandau this month and he has been temporarily granted many of the authorities that she naturally holds. Why is that? Well, telling y'all would be too easy, wouldn't it?

Characters will only be admitted into the hall one by one, so there won't be anyone present for anyone else's conversations, and there won't be any 'mingling' in the chamber itself.

By popular demand, we continue to allow mingling for those waiting for an audience in an antechamber. There is a thread header below to allow for that!]

Comments

AUDIENCE

[excessivehubris]

[Charles sat in the antechamber and politely waited his turn. He heard murmurings, low level about the Emperor not taking the visitors and he frowned, pensively as he considered his options.

When he was motioned to take his turn, Charles pushed away from the wall and made his way into the hall.

Despite having been here before, this would mark his first official visit to the palace and he took his time moving from doorway, towards the throne. His cane clicked softly on the marble floor, in painstaking time with each careful step and though Evandau was not who Charles had sought an audience with, he offered the man a polite smile.]

Good afternoon. Might I ask with whom do I speak?

[alderwood]

[Evandau inclined his head in return, knowing this man first as Foreigner. He does not know all as he once did, for their numbers are many and his time too restricted to spend it studying the files built on each.]

You speak with the Alderwood Commander. I am Eshai's proxy for this audience. [And then, for he wastes little time, he continues.] Name your purpose.

[excessivehubris]

[Straight and to the point, very well. Though this raised Charles' suspicion level and he could not quite help himself. Reaching his hand up towards his head, he gave his temple a pensive looking scratch. In truth he sent his telepathy outwards, towards the man.

It was a light inquiry, as shallow as he could make it but he couldn't help trying to peek and see if the true nature of Eshai's absence might be on the surface of the man's mind.

At the same time, he put forth the question that had brought him here in the first place.]

I was here, before, for a few months but I have no recollection of the past months events here in the city. Most people believe they can get sent home from here, however I have no new memories from my home world either, so that begs a question.

Where was I?

[ooc: I don't expect his mental trespassing to have effect but he would try, couldn't help himself even. I hope you don't mind.]

[alderwood]

[Evandau sees the gesture and there is a flicker of caution in his thoughts, for he trusts little of the motions Foreigners make in his presence. There is, briefly, a spike of concern -- Eshai is the flavour, but then his focus is fully on Charles. She is busy today, and well protected; there is no reason to be concerned. He does not raise his nullification field, seeing no risk to his own person here.]

There are many phases to being In-Between and none of them abide by the cycles of the moon. [A grim smile.] You left, but time did not welcome you back and so you returned, but our time continued. [He raises his shoulders in a quick, efficient shrug.] Do not expect sense in how it words. Know instead that you were drawn back because you have yet some purpose and worth to our struggle.



[OOC: to the contrary, I love it!]

[excessivehubris]

[ooc: Oh! Yaaay!! I promise not to abuse it, just let me know if it goes too far or too much.]

[Given his memory of how cagey the Emperor and her people could be, Charles was a little startled when he was able to brush across the shallow, surface thoughts of the man he now faced. It was tempting to go deeper, like a starving man being shown a buffet and wanting to dive right in but years of discipline exerted themselves and Charles maintained a very light contact.

So the Emperor was too busy to take her monthly audiences, there was concern there (which was natural, expected even) but a general sense of no concern necessary. Curious.

The words spoken, however, were also curious and Charles' arched an eyebrow.]

I've heard it postulated that we are here to fight a war for you. Is this the 'purpose' you speak of?

[He did not expect a straight answer but was alert to see what unguarded thoughts might flash across Evandau's mind when he heard the question.]

[alderwood]

Yes.

[It is a simple answer that in, in itself, a simple truth in his eyes. Evandau does not busy himself with conspiracies of information the way that some suspect and the honesty of his thoughts is in line with that.]

It may not come to war as you know it, but you are here to defeat something which threatens us all.

[However vague his words, his thoughts match. There is also tired expectation that he will ask what all others have: For details. Those details? He does not have and Foreigner frustration about that does not match his own, trust in that.]

[excessivehubris]

[A good solider. Pick up what is need to know, focus on the 'in the present' of battle and leave the gray areas to others.

Still a bit more information than he had before he came here.]

There are ways, to solve a conflict, that do not have to include violence. [Charles said in a pensive tone, coming a few steps closer.]

Is there room to explore more peaceful methods of resolution? Or must it be through violence that the defeat of this unknown will come about?

[Okay, sort of a request for details but also an unspoken offer to help try to find another way?]

[alderwood]

That's not my experience.

[It's a grim statement, punctuated by a flash of memory. Combat. Pain. Being one of a thousand soldiers fighting against something he did not know. Evandau aimed and shot. He killed. Only when he rose in the ranks -- even as the ranks dwindled in number -- did he realise how strong it was. How ruthless.]

The last time it crept upon us, we had to beat it back tooth and nail and I don't expect its opinion to have changed. Would yours, had you decided genocide was the option?

[An honest query, based on nothing but opinion.]

[excessivehubris]

[What a curious question and one that definitely struck a cord with Charles, given not only his status as a mutant but also the recent memory of the second World War and the Nazis' atrocities against groups of European citizens. The telepath's expression lowered and after a moment he shook his head.]

Rarely have I ever heard of anyone turning course once they set down such a path.

[There was pain in his tone, made so by the memories of the war but also by the potential hopelessness for his own species, were Erik to be proven right.

However, that was all back home. It sounded as if the threat here was a more immediate one. Lightly Charles nudges into Evandau's memories to try to pick up who or what the man had killed.

It was a little conflicting, that he spoke as if they were only against one (incredibly powerful) enemy, yet in the same breath spoke of killing.]

[alderwood]

[Many is that answer. Evandau never counted, nor could his soul bear the tally. He obeyed and many died, for it was one, but it was served by many in those days. He never encountered it personally, having been drawn too far back from the frontlines when that time came.]

Then you understand why I won't waste the breath trying to convince it of peace and pastries over war and blood.