OTA;

[a_noble_flame]

[What comes first through the flung open door of Alice's communion is warmth. To some a warm spring day, to others an inviting hearth banked to a low, slow fire. Or maybe it's a campfire, a ring of bright light against the encroaching darkness. However it is viewed it's inviting, calling for rest and calm.

She's nudged her way into several communions by now but she's never opened herself up at large and it shows. Or maybe it's just that Alice is never one to hide much save the emotions she keeps buried away beyond the light of her fire and warmth.

Alice herself ... well, her image of herself is fuzzy. Ever present fire eats at her heels and in times of passion might silhouette her. She herself though is only as sharp as her mental image of herself and she's obviously not that great at conjuring it up.

At least she still feels warm though? And her tone of voice is the same even if her words are quite business-like.]

I apologize if I'm doing this wrong in some way.

[Apology given, she dives in.]

I would like to find someone to commission a sword from. I wish to be prepared for future fighting and in order to do so I really do need to keep up my training with my other weapons as well. My current weaponry can only offer so much in terms of weight and distance.

[... Should she give an example of what she wants to commission? She's drawn up something by hand, exact specifications given from memory and years of handling this particular weapon of hers.

Amusingly -- or maybe not -- Alice's mental image of the Mähne is much clearer than her mental image of herself. It's a good six foot in length, two longswords butted end to end with grips between them.]

I have saved up some for this and am willing to work off the extra should what I have not cover the cost fully.

[... How do you close these out? Just ... leave it open for communication? There's a sweep of heat as Alice flusters just a touch.]

Th-thank you. I appreciate any assistance that can be offered.

Comments

[a_noble_flame]

The Mähne.

[Literally 'mane' in German. Which is better explained as she continues.]

It's designed to be used my cavalry knights on horseback. The dual blades gripped in the middle allow a mounted knight to protect themselves from both sides without risking injury to their mount.

[Her fuzzy mental image gives the impressions of a light smile here.]

My family has a history of service in the cavalry.

[bakedapple]

Cavalry...

[ The single word is echoed with a feeling of Link putting heavy weight on it. ]

You're a soldier, then? No... a knight?

[a_noble_flame]

A soldier, yes. I myself am no knight. That honor belongs to my great-grandfather before me.

[Her smile broadens. There's a feeling of very real excitement here.]

I am experienced in mounted combat though. Ace and Piro are my companions in the field -- Ace chiefly, Piro is the gentler of the two.

[bakedapple]

Sounds like a knight to me.

[ He smiles, recognizing her humility. ]

Ace and Piro, huh... are they here with you in Kenos? [ asked gently, as he knows the answer is probably that they aren't. But maybe the Priests at Heliopolis can get them for her, like they got the Master Sword for him. ]

[a_noble_flame]

[Alice considers arguing the point but it seems a little useless in the end. Instead she huffs a gentle breath out.]

Does it? You have experience with them then?

[Her fuzzy mental image dims a little.]

I'm afraid not. I've been told things may slip out of the Timestream here. [Not that she knows precisely what that is but...] It might be selfish but I would like to see them again.

[bakedapple]

Yeah. I was a knight, once. But that was a long time ago... and I don't remember it.

[ Link knows that's the kind of answer that's likely to lead to follow-up questions, but he continues on anyway. ]

You know Cetina, right? The deer-like woman who helps... who helped Cyrus manage the Meri Shard-Bearers. If you bring it up with her, there might be some way for the Acolytes at the Church to retrieve your horses from the Timestream. Or something similar to that, at least...

[a_noble_flame]

[Excuse her for perking up so rapidly but --]

They can bring through things other than weapons?

[bakedapple]

Yeah. You didn't know? There's a few of us who've got animals or pets from home. Claude has his wyvern, Drizzt has his panther, Sebastian has his... uh... whatever it is that Sveinn is.

[ Whether any of these creatures can really be considered the same being as the ones that were left behind in their ruined worlds is a question Alice can find out about on her own. ]

[a_noble_flame]

I've seen Drizzt's partner, yes. I didn't realize that's how he gained her back though.

[At least she understood the panther to be more partner than anything else. Which she gets, that's how Ace and Piro are to her.

Her mental image smiles at that. There's a distinct feeling of heightened, pleased warmth rolling through her communion.]

I'm glad then. It might not be incredibly likely to happen but I would welcome the chance to see them again.

[Her voice softens. A mental image might slip through, a white-coated stocky draft-type foal trying to gain it's feet.]

I was there just after Piro was born. And when his grandparents died as well. They're both very attentive, brave mounts in battle.