open audience;

[ironwood]

Characters: The Ironwood Emperor and anyone who came to speak with her!
Date: November 15th.
Location: The Palace of Landed Sky
Situation: The expected holding of an audience for any that care to speak with the Ironwood Emperor.
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 Emperor is painting today, broad sweeps of colour across canvas. She's dressed very simply, with no ornamentation, and every once in a while she'll stop to wipe her brow with her arm, which has resulted in more than one smudge of paint on her cheek or forehead. She seems to be in a decent mood today, at least?

[Actionspam or prose are both acceptable!

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 will continue to allow mingling for those waiting for an audience in an antechamber. There is a thread header below to allow for that!]

Comments

Clara Oswald

[parallels]

[She's sick with a cold but she has not forgotten the Emperor's request for her to come visit during an audience to speak about the library. Clara makes sure to shower, brush her hair, and dress in proper clothes instead of pajamas as she trudges through the snow to the palace. She's also lined her pockets with tissues as back up.

She approaches the Emperor and then pauses. She doesn't really know the proper way to address an Emperor. She's done it before with the Doctor, but he'd always known what to do. Clara coughs, clears her throat, and then kneels down.]

Emperor. It's me, Clara. We spoke before about the library.

[ironwood]

[Eshai gives her a Look, and then sets her paintbrush down to come over and haul Clara back to her feet.]

For pity's sake, girl. When was the last time you kept any food down?

[parallels]

[Clara frowns, feeling just a little put out by that response and also at the fact that she's being manhandled by the turtle-land emperor. She manages not to sound too indignant when she replies.]

Earlier today. I've been keeping it down fine.

[ironwood]

[She 'hns' and gestures to a nearby raised dias, littered with food and drink.]

Take something if you'd like. Otherwise, no. I'm not going to grant you access to the library when you're looking like death warmed over. But if you tell me what you're looking for, I'll see to it that several books are delivered to your house for you to read during your convalescence.

[parallels]

But I'll be fine in a week! And I don't know what I'm looking for. So I can't really make any requests.

[Nope. She is digging her heels in. This was her big chance to do something helpful. She is not going to let this cold prevent her from going to the library.]

[ironwood]

Dozens of people have combed over every inch of that library, and found nothing of worth or note, nothing relevant to our fight. Ergo, you're simply asking to throw effort after foolishness.

[Don't even start with her.]

[parallels]

But what if I could find something! [Her voice nearly cracks and she hates herself because of it. She coughs and it hurts to breathe.] You said there were others who came here. There has to be some records.

[ironwood]

There aren't any.

[A flat look.]

They've been destroyed. Trust me, I did it myself.

[parallels]

Why?

[Clara stops dead in her tracks. Like suddenly there's something weighing her down.]

[ironwood]

Because my sister had just died, and Malicant was defeated, and I was not at any sort of pinnacle of sanity.

[She says that all matter of factly, without even the slightest trace of apology.]

[parallels]

[Clara nods and her eyes drop down to her own scarring and bruised hands. She can understand that. She understands it completely. And she doesn't blame the Emperor for that.]

Before then. [She coughs.] When you told me about the library. Were you just winding me up?

[ironwood]

No. I do not mind giving you access, but I would rather not do it while you're ill.

[Gosh she's not heartless.]

[parallels]

If you give me access, 'll go in a week when I'm better. Promise. Cross my heart.

[Clara spends most of the sentence focused on the floor and trying to right herself and be proper in front of royalty.]

[ironwood]

[She sighs.]

Fine.

[parallels]

[Clara brightens up immediately.]

Brilliant. It's a deal then. And I won't break it. Honestly.

[ironwood]

I expect not. Are we done?

[Damnit stop being cute, you little bastards are actually making the Emperor warm up to you all.]

[parallels]

[She is the cutest and will not cease being cute! Clara nods, gives a small little bow, and then is about to turn away before she stops and twists around to face the Emperor again.]

I just want to help. If I'm going to be stuck here I want to do something and not just sit about. I'm not... not someone with special powers, or secret cult ninja training, or a starship captain. But I can help. Just need a chance to, that's all.

[ironwood]

We'll see about that.

[She turns away, effectively dismissing her. But her tone, at least, is not unkind.]

[parallels]

[There's a pause when Clara considers arguing further but instead she bows again and exits the room.]