Soldiering and Partying Go Hand in Hand...Don't They? (open)

[Lavinya]

Kiarma fingered the short sword at her side with barely contained excitement as she walked her mount closer to the Citadel. Perhaps someone would teach her thoroughly here! And if all the stories she'd ever heard about drunken soldiers were true, she was in for a great time. Not once did it occur to her that she may be turned away, and denied admittance to their ranks. Her excitement clouded all else.

 

Idly she wondered if her father or brothers had discovered her note yet. No doubt her father would be horrified, and her brothers thrilled. They had not been the best influence on her, to say the least, which tended to explain her choice of dress, baggy, worn breeches and a light shirt, though the boots she wore were sturdy. Good boots never let her down.

 

Lifting her hand, she pushed her jet black braid back over her shoulder to her back once more, before returning it to her sword hilt. It had been so long since she'd enjoyed a good spar, perhaps here she would find that also. More often than not her brothers refused, claiming they found her so humerous it was distracting. Bah, more likely they were too drunk to see straight and didn't want to be beaten by their little sister.

 

The walls loomed ever nearer, and Kiarma straightened in her saddle somewhat, suddenly startled when a body loomed near her. "Mothers milk in a cup you startled me!" She burst before she could stop herself. Her father constantly berated her for her unladylike language, but this was a soldier, obviously. No doubt the could teach her a thing or two about decent curses. Excellent.

 

"The name's Kiarma, and I've come to join the band!" She announced proudly to the stranger blocking her way.

 

 

OOC: Who ever wants to grab her first, feel free!

[706Somtaaw]

OOC: Not a true Bander, but Dash'll bring ya in Don't mind the 6'6 Shienaran male channeler

 

IC: Dashiva left the Citadel and walked into the woods, and breathed in deeply as he entered the woods. He'd been working fairly hard and he was looking forwards to a small vacation in the woods. His longsword hung on his back, and the short sword that rode his hip were both honed to a razor's edge.

 

As he penetrated deeper into the woods, his Blight Scout training and the little bit of scouting he'd done while spying on the Band from within came out, and he ghosted from tree to tree, and came out within an arm span of a number of deer.

 

Smiling, he turned his direction and made his way silently towards the road and then turned along it, heading in the general direction of Devon's Ride.

 

He saw a young woman, armed and dressed in loose male clothing and moved closer, suddenly wanting his mostly green clothes and not his black Tower uniform. Stepping out from a tree just ahead of her, he rested a head easily on his sword hilt.

 

"Mothers milk in a cup you startled me!" the woman said, jumping back. Dashiva blinked once, and glanced around before fixing his gaze directly into the young woman. "The name's Kiarma, and I've come to join the band!" he heard her say proudly and sighed very softly. Only his closest friends would know how tired he looked in that moment before he pulled the mask that fooled everyone more solidly in place, even Covai would have seen it less than a heartbeat.

 

"Very well, let's get you to the Commander then," he told her and turned back towards the Citadel aiming straight for the gate well around the next bend to head through a stretch of woods.

 

"Follow me please," he said over his shoulder as he drew on saidin. If this was a trap he was more than ready to defend himself, and if it wasn't then his paranoia may have been the reason.

[Lavinya]

"Very well, let's get you to the Commander then, Follow me please."Kiarma pulled a face at the man's back. She had receive no reaction whatsoever to her announcement. Strange. He wasn't even wearing the uniform of the army, well what she'd heard of it, anyway. He bloody well better know where he was taking her.

 

Silently she kneed her gelding after the strange man, paying more attention to the site of the walls through the trees than the the one leading her. He said he would take her to the commander...he better come through on that, or she'd give him the what for!

 

Soon enough they neared the gates, and Kiarma noticed the guards gave the stranger as many odd looks as she, though the did not prevent her entrance. Dismounting, she walked beside the chestnut horse as she led it, a grin crossing her features as she took in her surroundings. A real army. All around her soldiers headed about their business, some pausing to look at her, others ignoring her presence completely.

 

Suddenly the man in front of her stopped, and Kiarma very nearly ran into the back of him, shooting him a frown as though it were his fault. Her eyes shifted to why they had stopped, and she blinked as she found herself face to face with a man in a black cloak and hat, and what appeared a nasty looking claymore poking out from beneath the cloak. "What the..." She hastily shut her mouth with a click. This was the commander? Bah, no doubt he only looked tough. He didn't intimidate her.

 

Straightening her spine, Kiarma was still forced to bend her neck back to look up at him, the grin on her face faltering as she took in the scar marring his face. With a mental shake her smile steadied. She was scared of no one! Not even giants dressed in black!

 

"Pleasure to meet you sir, the name is Kiarma Speren, and I've come to join the ranks." She stretched out a hand for him to shake, wondering belatedly if that was what one did when they met a commander. Should she salute? Bow? A to hell with it, a handshake never hurt no one, though her grin faded to a small smile as she nodded at him seriously. He was formidable looking, to be sure, but she was willing to wager anything she could drink him under the table.

 

"So," She began, tugging her black braid absently. "What do I do now...uh, sir?" She asked, free hand once more idly toying with her sword hilt. Real training - she could wait!

[Guest Estel]

As the sun rose higher in the sky, so- finally- did Carnhain. The lazy cavalryman luxuriously rolled out of bed and took his time shaving and caring for her shoulder length blode hair before pulling on a pair of tight red breeches.

 

Wading through the throngs of men and women moving through the Citadle's forming streets, he exchanged greetings and ignored odd looks. He already appeared to have rebounded from events of the past week and was again his jovial self. However, what was shown on the outside was not always the case on the inside. Carnhain was a troubled young man and he still doubted his own desert to live.

 

Steadily he made his way through the streets, he caught sight of Dashiva leading a heavily built young woman through the crowd. With nothing better to do with his time, he turned and followed.

 

By the time he had caught up, the Asha'man and young woman were already talking to Mehrin. Butting into the conversation- a bad habit likely picked up partially from Rowul- he greeted the Commander with 'sir' and a saulte, knowing full well Mehrin would wince. He loved antagonizing the Commander and Under-commander.

 

"Good morning all, Commander, Asha'man, Miss..."

[Quibby]

With a disgusted sigh, Mehrin dropped his pen onto the desk and gathered his equipment. Only about one quarter of the paperwork on his desk was done, and if he had his way, that would be all that was done for the day! Dropping his hat onto his head, Mehrin walked out the office door, slamming it closed as he left. Light, I'm getting sick of reading those same lists over and over again! They didn't die out there to be immortalized in paperwork! It wasn't the fault of the clerks and the company leaders, Mehrin knew. Things had to be ordered in some way, and it led to a lot of repetition. Someone needs to be the scapegoat. "And it sure as hell ain't going to be me this time," Mehrin muttered.

 

Weaving his way through the Citadel, Mehrin took time to check on some of the big projects. The wooden wall surrounding the Citadel was slowly being encapsulated by the work of the Ogier stonemasons. Their beauty would only be matched by their strength. The city section of the Citadel was undergoing the same change, as were the barracks. Gardeners were attending to the grass and the markers in the Field of the Fallen, and new markers were being placed for those who had been slain at what was already being called the Doubles Battle by some.

 

Mehrin's rank afforded him rather easy travel through the mass of people near the Citadel gates. Despite the convenience of being able to walk through such a crowd without any real difficulty, Mehrin was still irritated by the fact that he could not escape his rank. Even when he died, he would still be afforded more honors than he deserved; Mehrin didn't try to fool himself when it came to his eventual death. Near the gate, Mehrin stepped out of the crowd and off to one side, near the sparring area. As he surveyed the various men and women working with their partners, he saw a man in a long, black coat approaching. Dash. And a newcomer, by the looks of it. Mehrin smiled slightly; he missed being able to take the new recruits through the camp back when the Band was still a roaming army.

 

The new recruit, an athletic-looking woman with jet black hair and green eyes who appeared to be about eye-level with his throat, offered her hand and said, "Pleasure to meet you sir, the name is Kiarma Speren, and I've come to join the ranks." Mehrin didn't reply immediately, taking time to survey the woman before him. She seemed a bit uncomfortable, confused, and she seemed to be sizing him up. She has some guts, at least, Mehrin thought. After a bit of an awkward silence, she continued, tugging her braided hair as she spoke. "So, what do I do now... uh, sir?"

 

That got Mehrin's attention. "I'm going to try to impress this on you before anyone else teaches you otherwise," Mehrin said, his voice a low, gravelly growl. "Don't call me sir, commander, or anything of the type. My name is Mehrin Deathwatch, but you can call me Mehrin." That little task out of the way, Mehrin smiled slightly. "Now that we've got that settled, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kiarma," he said, his voice still low and gravelly and no longer threatening, his hand engulfing hers as he shook it.

 

Before Mehrin could offer the new recruit a tour, another voice spoke up. "Sir," the new arrival, Carnhain, muttered as he saluted. He then addressed the whole group. "Commander, Asha'man, Miss..."

 

"Kiarma Speren," Mehrin said, introducing the woman. "And Lieutenant," Mehrin added, "unless you wish to find yourself demoted to sergeant and forced into the Infantry, I'd recommend breaking that habit." Unable to keep a straight face, the last came out as a chuckle. Only two people in the group knew that Mehrin was only half-joking, though.

 

Returning his attention to the newcomer, Mehrin asked, "What brings you to our little corner of the world, Kiarma?"

 

-Mehrin

Commander and Band DJ

[Lavinya]

"I'm going to try to impress this on you before anyone else teaches you otherwise, don't call me sir, commander, or anything of the type. My name is Mehrin Deathwatch, but you can call me Mehrin."Kiarma barely restrained herself from scowling at the harsh tone, but fortunately held herself in check, the only change being a slight straightening of the spine. She didn't care who he was, any man who thought he could talk down to her soon learned not to. Thankfully though, he took her extended hand and shook it. At least he hadn't been trying to instill in her the need for proper respect for his position. He didn't appear overly arrogant, a welcome change in her opinion. Too many men thought themselves superior simply because of their sex. She liked to make it her mission to show them otherwise.

 

Another voice made her turn her head, spotting a blonde man with an arrogant swagger. Giving him the once oover, Kiarma instantly dismissed him as a pretty peacock. Mehrin saved her the need to introduce herself, naming her to the newcomer, Carnhain. "unless you wish to find yourself demoted to sergeant and forced into the Infantry, I'd recommend breaking that habit." The words brought a smile to Kiarma, liking the way he put the yound dandy in his place. She'd had many a man like this one think she was a pretty peach for the plucking, and had relished showing them just how a "pretty young thang" could protect herself.

 

Giving Carnhain a hard stare, she turned her green gaze back to Mehrin as he spoke once more, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword out of self-induced habit. "What brings you to our little corner of the world, Kiarma?" She couldn't help but grin, flicking her braid back over her shoulder. "I want to become a soldier, to train. I was a merchant's guard, but sadly training was lacking, especially for me being a woman." She gave the commander a hard stare, wondering if he would have the same misgivings about a woman soldier as her father. That would not do at all. "So I want to join the ranks." She announced firmly, as though daring him to deny her.

[Quibby]

"I should have guessed that much; most merchant's guards don't put too much faith in women, like you said." Mehrin was tempted to say no in order to gauge Kiarma's reaction, but decided against it. In all probability, she'd probably attack him, and Mehrin did not want to see the wall guards put any arrows into her; that had a tendancy of ruining a person's day. Rather, he decided on a different approach.

 

"You've definitely got courage; most would not even consider that steel-eyed stare that you've been throwing around," Mehrin said with a chuckle. "You'd probably do well here, Miss Speren. The scouts, medics, and siege engineers are always looking for a few more recruits, and I'd be more than happy to bring you to their respective captain generals." There, a test. If he had read the woman correctly, Mehrin was sure that Kiarma would either try to cover any upset of seemingly being relegated to three divisions. Or she'd become quite upset.

 

Mehrin was betting on the latter.

 

Mehrin

Commander

[Lavinya]

Kiarma almost preened under Mehrin's words, pride swelling her chest and stiffening her spine. At last, a man who seemed to have at least half his wits, noting that a woman could be just as good as a man. And he didn't discount her courage either. She'd always been told she was bold as a lion though twice as dense, by her less than charming brothers. Idiots, the lot of them.

 

"You'd probably do well here, Miss Speren. The scouts, medics, and siege engineers are always looking for a few more recruits, and I'd be more than happy to bring you to their respective captain generals." That wiped the smug smile from her face, causing her to drop her jaw and her eyes to harden in indignation. He complimented her courage, then relegated her to a choice of the three weakest divisions in the same breath? She would show him for discounting her.

 

Deliberately she folded her arms under her breasts, levelling him with her cold stare, just barely containing her anger by clenching her teeth. "I'm sure they are, sir." She hissed, deliberately highlighting the honourific. "But I came here to be a soldier, not to play doctor or hide and seek." She managed between her teeth, tapping one foot in an irritated manner. "I want to train to fight. I was under the assumption I could learn that here, unless you are going to tell me that you don't train women?" It was difficult to keep the threat from her voice, light help him if he did insult her so, she wouldn't be responsible for her actions, regardless who he thought he was. And to think she had believed him in possession of some smarts. Ha!

[Quibby]

The effect of his words on Kiarma nearly made Mehrin burst out laughing. She went from smiles and pride to shock and outrage in a heartbeat. The transformation, coupled with the hard glare and barely restrained anger was more than enough to name her division, even before she spoke. Mehrin listened to the ranting until the end, serious look on his face.

 

When she finally relented, Mehrin looked the woman in the eyes and calmly said, "Perfect." Judging by the startled look he received, Mehrin did not think that that was the answer that Miss Speren was expecting. Without giving her any time to start again, Mehrin added, "I had to do it; the way you seem to be looking for a fight screams 'Infantry!' And yes, we do train women fighters, but the Band has not seen a woman in the Infantry since-" Mehrin cut himself off abruptly and changed what he was about to say. "Since Emond's Field." Light, Anya...

 

Mehrin gestured to the surrounding buildings and fields. "If you wish, I'll show you around the place, and then we can go see about getting you registered with the captain general of the Infantry."

[Lavinya]

"Perfect."Kiarma blinked, caught off-guard, having expected Mehrin to jump onto her verbal battle, rather than admit he had deliberately baited her. She shut her jaw with an audible click, irritated at having been provoked so easily, though somewhat mollified to discover he had merely been testing her.

 

"If you wish, I'll show you around the place, and then we can go see about getting you registered with the captain general of the Infantry."Kiarma nodded, slightly annoyed at being made to look the fool, but at least the man was taking her seriously. "I would appreciate that." She replied, a slow smile taking hold again. She was going to be in the infantry, and trained properly.

 

Kiarma strutted proudly beside Mehrin, hand resting on her sword hilt as she eyed the citadel, the other soldeirs going about their business, some giving her curious stares, the others ignoring her completely. "I imagine there is some sort of tavern around here? Somewhere where a girl can kick back and relax after a long day with an ale or four?" She grinned. Perhaps she would also find some others to dice with. Surely there was some sort of establishment in the camp where she could enjoy herself the way she knew best.

 

Kiarma

[Quibby]

"I imagine there is some sort of tavern around here? Somewhere where a girl can kick back and relax after a long day with an ale or four?" The grin on Kiarma's face seemed hopeful. Mehrin was more than willing to oblige; his intentions from the moment he'd left his office included getting so drunk that he couldn't see to get back to his bunk.

 

"Blood and bloody ashes, you read my mind," Mehrin said, another smile crossing his face. "There are more taverns here than mess halls... a good thing, considering the quality of the food." Mehrin's course shifted. Instead of the training grounds, the two entered the 'business district,' a collection of armorers, fletchers, and taverns. It was into one of the latter that Mehrin opened the door, waiting for Kiarma to step through before entering himself. Despite the hour, there were still a couple customers. Fortunately, Mehrin's corner was still open.

 

Waving to the proprieter, Mehrin seated himself, kicking out a chair for the new recruit. "You'd best enjoy yourself; I only buy on special occasions and for any new recruits I manage to find."

 

-Mehrin

Commander and Band DJ

[Lavinya]

Kiarma grinned, following Mehrin's lead towards an area that seemed abundant with inns, catering to the whims of those inclined to drink. Kiarma was one such person, and was pleased to find her new commander was no different. She was doubly pleased that he had made no comment about drinking being an unlady-like past time. That was a lecture she had long since grown tired of, and usually she set to resolve it by drinking said man under the table. Of course, she hadn't always won those competitions, but she put up one hell of a fight.

 

Taking the offered seat, Kiarma turned it around and sat on it backwards, resting her arm on the chair back, her free hand sitting casually on her sword hilt. "You'd best enjoy yourself; I only buy on special occasions and for any new recruits I manage to find." Kiarma grinned. The only thing better than a drink was a free drink.

 

"I'll be sure to make it worth my while then." She replied, casting her eyes over the few patrons in the extablishment. It was certainly not busy at present, though no doubt that was only attributed to the time of day. The proprieter made himself available to them, and Kiarma placed her order, a tall tankard of dark ale, a potent brew she was particularly fond of. If Mehrin's brows rose at her choice, she pretended not to notice, though should he comment she would not hold her tongue. Not until after he paid, anyway.

 

Kiarma

[Quibby]

Good choice, Mehrin thought after hearing Kiarma's order. If he didn have such a preference for the local brandy, Mehrin probably would have ordered the same. The thought struck him as odd, for some reason, but he didn't dwell on it. When their drinks arrived, Mehrin raised his in a half-salute. "To you, Kiarma. May you last longer than the average grunt." Tact had never been one of his strong points, and she'd find out sooner or later that the Infantry had the highest turnover rate of any division due to the casualties.

 

Mehrin allowed the first round to pass in silence, enjoying the company of a person who wasn't petitioning for higher pay or a promotion. When he had finished, he called for another. As he waited, Mehrin began assessing the new groundpounder. "I need an idea of where to begin your training, Kiarma. We'll start with the basics: how far you can run and how well- or poorly, in some cases- you can use that weapon."