Private Tales Propriety

[Nacht]

Nacht listened to the explanation and set to wondering, visibly doing a couple seconds worth of mental gymnastics. "I am, despite my frail stature, a Squire with the Knights. We have a similar responsibility where we live, the Valen Wilds. Different gods, different ideas about mages, but the desire to protect what we hold dear or are responsible for are one and the same." He'd grin, his tone friendly. "So, I have gathered that Regel is the god your people fight for, but what is Jura? It is also a name you have spoken in reverence, but sounds more like an idea or place. History proves people can certainly be angered at ideas." Judging by the reputation of Gild, people could also be influenced by them, so a citizen from Gild so well informed ought to have quite an knowledge on the subject.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

"Jura is our religion," Leah said, her tone soft, informative, and pleased to speak on the subject. Nacht continued to defy the uneviable stories of her fellow Regulators and their prickly claimants. "It is an old religion, carried here to Campania by King Andreas Gildal, the remnants of the Turkal people—the forebears of present day Gildans—and other refugees fleeing religious persecution in the Age of Expansion. Beyond that point in history, however, Jura is shrouded in the mists of antiquity. We in Gild pride ourselves on being the last Flame of Jura on Arethil, our sacred duty being to keep it alight, that it and Regel, the God of Jura, may not perish from this world."

What greater bond to draw together and keep the Jemaat—their Community of humans, dwarves, ogres, and others—in unified purpose and common spirit? But other bonds throughout the world did exist, and Nacht had mentioned just such a one.

"Would you indulge me? You have spoken on this order of Knights of which you are a part." Leah touched her right palm to her heart and bowed her head slightly. "Forgive my relative ignorance of the world beyond the borders of my homeland. But if it pleases you: may you say what order of Knights you have pledged yourself to serve?"

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"Right, so I got it! Cool!" A religion was an idea...right? At his regulator's tale of the exile of all Gildans along with others, and how their city was the last bastion of Jura and the last place of those who believed in Regel, Nacht became a bit confused. He too, had fled, at the end of the day. Simply put, the stigma and shunning had gotten to him. Y'know what? Running had been fun. Hiding from everything had been able to make him feel better, the lack of expectation refreshing him. However, the whole thing had made him less judgemental of others and more humble, or at least that's what he figured. Overall, a decent change, one for the better.

"I appreciate your courtesy, but I am no world traveler either. In the past, my world was only the puny grounds of Astenvale and the little distance into the Wilds I could navigate.” He’d say with a laugh, smiling. He smiled a lot, he was figuring out, and for some reason, the gesture still felt foreign. Old habits die hard, he figured, continuing to speak. "I belong to the Knights of Anathaeum all the way back in the Valen Wilds, a group of rather nice people who do rather nice things for people. Nobody is to be turned away, and I know that best of all. Someone from the monastery saved me from a swift end at the mercy of blighted wolves back when I was someone who knew nothing." He stared ahead dreamily, as though remembering the moment his life had changed for the better and grinned.

After a second, he raised his hand and then put it down, realizing this was not training. Guess, that's another one. Not too bad of a habit to pick up, though. "Hm, fleeing persecution. I have a question: If your people have experienced persecution so flagrant it forced them on the run, why do the same to those with magic? I admire your dedication to preserving the state of Jura, but haven't your experiences taught you nobody should have to go through such a thing?" He looked over to her with a serious expression, genuinely curious. The way he finished the sentence was not rhetorical. It was open to debate, in fact.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

The Knights of Anathaeum. Of this particular order, Leah herself knew nothing (though she gathered it to be likely more than the simplistic rendition of "nice people doing nice things"). More clearly, she had an idea of from where Nacht had come—up north, beyond the Spine in the Valen Wilds; such was the natural barrier between Campania and the Wilds that each might as well be its own world from the perspective of the other.

Oh. A question, then—that Nacht had raised his hand to ask it prompted Leah to briefly touch her fingers to her lips, concealing the faint smile over the misplaced pupil's gesture. It was a good question, one that brought to the fore certain concepts: that tolerance was not in and of itself a good, nor intolerance an evil; that "being nice" was not necessarily the same as being good. Certainly there were better places to discuss things of a deep and thoughtful nature than a parasol shop, but Leah was happy to offer a succinct view of it.

"To stand for something is by necessity to be opposed to its adversary—a fundamental truth. Your Knights of Anathaeum has the cause for which it stands, and thereby are its opponents, and outright enemies, demarcated; what else would your blades be used for, other than for the welfare of that very cause, its defense and its interests? We who believe in Jura hold to its tenets, and to their rightness and guidance, else the faith which we carry would not be Jura, no, but some dilapidated perversion thereof.

"It is not, in all cases, the magic-user who deserves contempt. The act of a mortal using magic is the thing to be loathed. What height of virtue, what admirable temperance, to be capable of wielding magic, and choosing to leave what is for the gods to the gods! Our fellow Gildans who are born with such capability, we do not persecute them—we save them. You yourself, Nacht, have magic, and yet here you are, standing in the heart of our city with peace surrounding you; you are following the law of Gild and Regel; you are not using your magic at this very moment."

Leah smiled.

"Isn't that so?"

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

Nacht entered the shop and drew out his money, mind roaming through his regulator’s response. She did have a good point, so it wasn’t the existence of magic that was the issue, it was that using it was considered heresy. “If those with magic are considered to have been gifted a godly ability, then why restrict it? I agree that regulation is a necessary element for a city, of course, but shouldn’t your hatred of its usage only apply to those who use it wrongly?” Surely, those that killed and hurt using a power that made them strong deserved punishment, but what of those who used it to create and protect? “I suppose what I ask is- If those with magic are considered to have access to a power above humanity, what harm is there in teaching such people control and using their abilities to help others?” The faces of his friends back at the M…back at home flashed through his mind, examples of what a force magic could be for the greater good. “I know for one we would not be as easily able to do the work we do without it.”

He picked out a black parasol and walked over to the counter as he said this, not so argumentative as much as genuinely wondering. Just then, a hand flew in his face and he reeled back, now looking upon an older man. “I lost my child to magic, you Curite.” He’d say this with a venom the boy hadn’t yet heard from…anyone. He spit the word Curite at Nacht like a slur, which got the boy to thinking. Huh, it probably is a slur, around here. How did I become so rash? Why did I forget what this place thinks of people like me? “Even if you’ve been granted permission to be here, I’ve had enough of your heretical blabber,” The man would finish, still breathing heavily. Nacht simply stared, sighed, and became a bit more sad, visibly retreating back to his more cautious state. “I…” he said, his lip shivering for a second before going still. He stepped forward, laid out three silver coins and took the item before the merchant, who seemed on the verge of refusing him service, could make up his mind. “I’m sorry, sir. I forgot where I was, is all.” He explained pathetically.

At this point, he just wanted to get away. Anywhere but here, any place where he wouldn’t be looked at so…scarily.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

Questions were posed, yet no time existed to answer them. A vicious slap, delivered by the shopkeep to Nacht, changed in an instant the atmosphere within the shop.

Leah calmly drew her rapier, swung it around with a lithe quickness, and simply pressed the flat of the deadly blade to the shopkeep's cheek. She held the cold steel there for a moment before she deigned to speak.

"Fellow-citizen," she said levelly, "you are hereby reminded that a claimant of Clemency is a guest of the Kingdom of Gild, and that the Church of Jura has ascertained the divine allowance for his presence."

Leah cocked her head.

"Or do you believe your powers of judgment surpass those of Regel, the God of Jura and Judge of All?"

As a Regulator, Leah could administer whatever punishment she saw fit upon the man for the offense of a religious crime, should he answer unwisely and fail to rectify himself. Up to and including summary execution, if she deemed his transgression serious enough.

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

The people now quickly walking to the exit gave Nacht a strange look. It was less that they disagreed with what the shopkeep had done, and more that they were scared of what the regulator would do if they stayed to watch the whole thing go down. Nacht's eyes widened as Leah pulled out her weapon, beginning to move over to her before stopping as she calmly questioned his attacker. Why hadn't he stayed quiet and just accepted everything? All the happy moments were coming to a crashing halt, and it looked to be his fault for such a fate.

"Ah! No, of course not. Regel is the one true god, he who created the rules I just became so indignant over. This Curite was spouting utter nonsense and I...lost my head." The shopkeep sighed and stepped out from behind the counter, sadly watching other would be customers exit the shop. "I apologize." He stated at Nacht through gritted teeth, as though this was somehow his fault and he deserved yet another strike. "What do I have to do to repent?" he said, turning to Leah. As he asked this, Nacht left the shop while staying within visible distance, sensing his presence was not required.

Making his way to a tree at the front of the shop possibly responsible for keeping the building in the shade, Nacht would look back to make sure he was close enough to see his regulator and then just breathe, the calming darkness surrounding him reminding him of home, of the monastery, of safety and acceptance. The wilds were less scary than this comparatively small city. "I really need a friend right now." He'd say, wondering what it would be like to have a dog instead of a cat. As though reading his mind, Shade gave him a bop for that sentiment and hopped off of his head, enjoying a bit of the larger space before coming back to rest on Nacht's lap.

Nacht laughed then, a bit of his old self coming back. "I have one right here. Sorry for being ungrateful, Shady." He'd say sheepishly, petting his cat and smiling. The black furball never failed to help make him feel better. "I hope nothing bad happens to the man that hit me."

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

"In future," said Leah to the shopkeep, keeping an awareness that others were departing the shop, Nacht included among them—but she had no worry that he would try to run away, "be mindful that temperance is a virtue of Jura, as is piety: for you, and all Jurists, are instructed to show civility and hospitality to those who respect our laws."

One last thing, before she left.

"If I find out that you have set your abusive tongue and violent hand upon a Penitent, any Penitent, I shall relieve you of both, and they will be on display in the Forum until they rot."

Only then did Leah sheathe her rapier. Citizens of the shopkeep's kind, who had within their hearts a grief for which anyone could feel sympathy, but who allowed that grief to turn to rage against the undeserving, were among those who harried Gild's Penitents against the doctrine of the Church. That the shopkeep had unjustly struck a claimant of Clemency, even as his attending Regulator stood beside him, suggested that the shopkeep may well have done the same to Penitents in secret. Her threat, therefore, was meant to be a lesson.

Leah exited the shop, and she need not search long to spot Nacht nearby. She approached him. Stood before him. And there she again performed that gesture from earlier, touching her right palm to her heart and bowing her head—more deeply this time.

"On behalf of the Kingdom of Gild, I apologize for the impious behavior you suffered at the hand of that man, Nacht."

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"I hold no anger toward Gild or that man, despite what he did. I suppose what I was saying was...well, a suspiciously uncommon sentiment, to put it kindly. I'm just relieved that nothing bad seems to have happened." He said, still stroking Shade. "Just because I am a guest does not mean I am allowed to say whatever I want, after all. If I offend you, please tell me." He'd say, a boyish grin accompanying the words. Thanks to a combination of cat and friend, he had long since gotten over the transgression of the shopkeeper.

"Shall we continue on? My aunt will be expecting me soon, so I want to see as much as possible before then," he'd finish, looking out towards a portion of the city that to his knowledge was yet unexplored by the strange duo.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

"My ear is a fortress against simple offense," Leah said, smiling as she did. Like all Praetors, she too was trained for acuity in philosophical, theological, and rhetorical fields, and this education better equipped her to courteously and skillfully handle the sort of questions and topics forwarded by Nacht. Unlike other Praetors, and indeed unlike other Gildans, she held a particular view of Jura—and of the world at large—which inescapably recontextualized, and perhaps thereby made impossible, those potential feelings of offense. For all that happened, to her and to everything, was expected, even if only just revealed in the present moment. This was the way of fate.

Shall we continue on?

"Very well," Leah said. "Our legs shall know the extent of our travels, once we put them to rest in your aunt's home."

* * * * *

THE KADASHAL BAKERY​

Around Gild they went, stopping by the major sites, including the Great Bath, the Forum, and the Amphitheatre. Sites of grandeur in various forms and for various functions, but, for the last stop on the tour, Leah had in mind a place of a much more humble stature. She led Nacht down a street which had a healthy population of the commons, going to and fro for this business or that, idling with friends outside and sparking up conversation of all sorts. The houses and shops were smaller, more compact—and, as was befitting of the buildings, the ratio of dwarves to humans grew, and ogres weren't to be seen in this neighborhood, save for one sitting outside playing a game of dice with his dwarven friends.

Leah stopped outside of a narrow, two-story shop and house combination. Above the door hung a sign that simply had painted on it the picture of a freshly-baked pie, and a smell to match was wafting outside from within.

"This last place," said Leah as she placed her hand on the door, "is very special to me."

Then she pulled open the door, and stepped inside.

Behind the counter of the bakery were two people, a middle-aged man and woman, and while the man was busy flattening out some dough with his back to them, the woman looked up and said, "Welcome to the—" A spark of delight shined in her eyes, and she drew in a joyful breath. "Ohhhh...Leah! It's so good to see you!"

Leah approached the counter, took off her hat, kissed the back of her mother's presented hand and then touched her forehead to it, and said, "Hello, Mother."

From around the corner of the counter came a retriever with golden fur across his body and a splash of white fur on his face. His eyes had a droopy look to them, his mouth hung open slightly, and he walked with a slow and careful waddle indicative of age, but he approached with what enthusiasm he could muster, his tail wagging faintly. Ranger sniffed Leah's leg, and then in friendly manner approached Nacht as well.

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"My ear is a fortress against simple offense," was all he got in response, which was received with a look of relief. More and more he was grateful that the Church of Jura had seen it fit to give someone like himself someone as patient as Regulator Leah, because she was seemingly one of the more friendly officers of Regel. "Good to hear, pun unintended." At the regulators next comment, Nacht's eyes brightened a tad and he perked up, wondering what would be ahead. "Oh, yeah? I look forward to that, because I'm not tired in the slightest as of now." He'd say with a wry smile, gesturing with a hand for Shade to clamber up to her normal resting spot. Shade obeyed and settled where she normally did on his head, the comforting one or two pounds further calming Nacht. It was familiar by now, and with familiarity tended to come safety. As the regulator walked off, Nacht gave one final look at the parasol shop and then gripped his new item tighter, following the path Leah tread with casual steps.

---

True to her (somewhat excessively) fancy words, he was indeed worn out by the time they arrived at their final destination and his legs even more so. Despite being pretty isolated, Gild was almost unexpectedly large, and he had experienced all of it, which was quite nice. The baths were large but their heat was well spread out, surprisingly warm for how big they were. Well, he hadn't actually had much of a chance to experience them, having only put a hand in before deciding now was not the time. Next they went to two big buildings. One of them seemed to be for everyone to address disputes and for announcements to be made, and the other for music and plays. Only briefly entranced by the sweet sound coming from the violin that was then on stage, guilt over Leah’s consideration for his plea of urgency encouraged him to stick to his own standards.

Upon being informed they were approaching their final stop, Nacht was filled with a beautiful feeling of suspense and the slight sadness people tend to feel when something they are enjoying comes to an end. However, he was also a tad bit confused. Everything she had shown him so far was part of such a show of grandeur that it was almost intimidating, which the young squire suspected was almost certainly the point, but the street they were going down seemed…normal. Dwarves and Humans and a few orcs here and there, small shops that seemingly served as foundations for houses, the like. Leah stopped at one of those very structures, the first floor a shop Nacht gathered was some kind of bakery, judging from the sign hanging above the door and the satisfying smell presumably coming from within.

Perhaps this is- His thoughts would be interrupted by a glaringly obvious sign in Common just above the door that simply stated “Kadashal Bakery”. With no bells and whistles, no brags, it seemed like the only way they had garnered as much respect as they had was through pure skill, judging by how many had exited and entered the building previous to their arrival. Like parents, like daughter, He would think with an almost childish look of admiration at Leah. Apparently, becoming a regulator was a rigorous process, and though she was impressive, he got the feeling she was rather low-key, which made her feat that much more special.

When the dog came around the corner and wagged it’s tail a bit in excitement, Nacht’s heart melted into a puddle and he aaaaalmost reached out his hand but realized he was being rude. Turning to Leah’s parents, he would walk up and begin to speak: “Hi- uh, Mrs. and Mister Kadashal. I am- well, I’m a claimant named Nacht. I’ve had the pleasure of being given a tour of the city by your daughter, she is lovely. What are your names, by chance?” If there was anything that got you on the good side of adults with children, it was speaking on the positives of their kids. It was somewhat hard back in the past because everyone bragged a bit, but the Regulator was an easy topic. She had, after all, been genuinely nice, even if at the end of the day everything seemed to be based off of orders. Suddenly, a thought hit him. What if instead of paying a compliment, he had instead sounded insincere? Well, there was only one way to find out, and that was to wait for a response.

 

[Leah Kadashal]

Leah's mother had come around the counter and given Leah a hug, her father had turned around and was dusting loose powder from his hands, when Nacht spoke.

"A guest!" said Leah's mother. "Well, salt and silver, Nacht! My name is Didem Kadashal." She looked to Leah then. "What is that ajam way of greeting? A 'curtsy', you said? Gods, but I've forgotten how it goes!"

"It is not necessary, Mother," Leah said, smiling contentedly.

Leah's father simply gave a nod to Nacht. "Emil." He was polite in his tone and in his regard, yet there dwelled beneath his courteous exterior a subtle wariness of the fatherly sort.

As Leah went to Emil then, kissing his hand and touching her forehead to it as she had with her mother, Didem entertained Nacht with an unwaveringly warm hospitality. "Are you hungry, Nacht? A tour of the city, by Regel, you must be! We have some pastries, still warm, if you'd like some."

Ranger sat down beside Nacht's leg, as if that little walk he'd done was enough to tucker him out.

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kadashal! Thank you for the warm welcome." His eyes would widen as Didem tried to figure out what a curtsy was. He certainly didn't know how to respond to such a formally respectful gesture, and was secretly grateful when Leah explained that he did not expect such a greeting. "What she said. I'm just glad to be here." He said with a boyish grin. "Nice to meet you as well, Mr. Kadashal." In this case, an exuberant greeting did not seem the move to play, so he settled on matching enthusiasm.

At the offer of food, Nacht nodded and sighed gratefully. "Thank you so much. I didn't expect Gild to be quite so large." He chuckled with relief, moving to seat himself in a chair nearby. Right, now was the moment to pet the dog, which Nacht did. Moving very gingerly, as though he thought the dog might shatter if he touched it too much, He brushed a hand on the dog's fur and nearly whimpered in happiness. So this is what real fur felt like. "I love your dog so much. Adorable beast this one. How'd you get them?" he'd ask, hypocritically deciding there was time enough for a story.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

"It would be my pleasure," Didem said, settling on a Gildan salute—palm over heart, the bowing of her head—instead of a curtsy, and she rounded the counter and set about collecting more for Nacht than just a pastry onto the plate she'd procured.

Ranger had followed Nacht over to his seat at the table, and he panted happily as he was pet, his droopy eyes gazing up at the new face in the bakery.

Leah came by and knelt by Ranger, petting him in addition to Nacht as she said, "Oh, but there wasn't much to it. We had an old friend of the bakery—"

"Hasim Juddal," Emil said. "Good man."

"Yes, Hasim. I was quite young at the time, yet I do remember him fondly: his braided beard and tufts of white hair, how he would even at his age carry me on his shoulders. He had taken in Ranger as a puppy, but, as time is the servant of Regel, it came for him and he passed, joining with his beloved wife in the Fields of Emir. Ranger was not the only dog belonging to Hasim, and his children all decided to inherit one, but this left Ranger as the odd dog out. So by mutual agreement—"

"Oh, I do love dogs!" Didem said from behind the counter.

"—we the Kadashals and they the Juddals decided that Ranger could make his new home with us."

Before Didem could come back around the counter and deposit the now heartily stocked plate (pastries, bagels, rolls, biscuits, a slice of pie) for Nacht on the table, Emil had stepped forward then and said to him, "Would you mind if you and I had a brief word?" He gestured his head behind himself. "Out back."

Didem proceeded along as though it were nothing. Leah herself knew what it was about, why her father wanted to speak with Nacht. She knew it very well.

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"Well, I'm glad you kept Mr. Ranger. That way I got to pet em today!" Nacht stated cheerily, transferring his hand to Ranger's soft looking scruff and continuing to pet the dog gently. "I have a cat, so normally-" He would be interrupted by a bop on the nose by Shade and a somewhat frightening growl that stated: We will speak on this later, mortal. I wanted to walk around. "Normally we avoid dogs because they tend to get a tad...frenzied. I know it's mostly instinct, but still...no need to deal with an excited attack, hm?" He said, further relaxing. Eyes already on the treats coming out from behind the counter, he shuddered in shock as Leah's father strode up to him and asked for "a word".

"Uh, sure..." Nacht said, glancing over to Leah with a look of confusion. The look was a tad tricky to decipher, but the summary is this: WhereamIgoingwhatdoesyourdadwantleah. In truth, Emil was a bit scary. He was quiet and reserved and Nacht didn't exactly know how to strike up a conversation with someone like that given his general aura of "jubilant to a fault." That meant he would probably do extraordinarily well in a conversation with Leah's father serious enough to warrant a move in location. Yes, when he was nervous enough, even Nacht could use sarcasm correctly. He tried to calm down and focus on what was really happening instead of blowing things out of proportion.

I don't seem to be in trouble, and nobody is acting differently. This must not be that big of a deal. He thought to himself, taking a breath. Just acting normal should get him through without any physical or emotional wounds, as extreme as that thought was. Now no longer as on edge, Nacht worked through what "a father" could want with him, since it seemed Emil "the person" had no issues with him. Does he think- Nacht thought, giving a bit of credence before tamping down the idea. It was an utterly ridiculous thought. Whatever the issue was, all he had to do was wait for it to be brought up.

He followed Emil out and took on a formal, stiff posture. "What's on your mind, Mr. Kadashal? I don't mean to be a worry." He explained, still a tad nervous.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

Leah just gave her usual smile, that unperturbed kind which suggested all was right with the world, in parting to Nacht as he followed Emil out through the bakery's back door.

The alley was a bit narrow, enough for two men to walk beside one another shoulder-to-shoulder but no wider. Just the two of them, Nacht and Emil, there in the alley, the shade of the buildings enveloping them.

Emil crossed his arms and he stated plainly, no non-sense: "If there was something you wanted to do to hurt my daughter or to harm Gild, there's practically nothing I could do to stop you. Not with you having magic."

His brow was furrowed in remembrance of something he found to be highly unpleasant. Something he wished not to happen again.

"All I can do is to ask you, man-to-man and as a father, to keep the peace. My Leah might be grown now, she might be a Praetor, but she's still my little girl. I don't want to see her suffer again."

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

As soon as Emil began speaking, Nacht immediately went into panic mode. Things had been going so well, and even still Mr. Kadashal doubted his intentions. Well, that was not good in the slightest. Nacht searched for the right words and managed to put together a passionate reassurance. "Me? Huh? No!" Nacht said, holding out his hands as though to push the idea away.

"Mr. Kadashal, the last thing I want is to hurt Leah, and I certainly have no intentions of making relations between users of magic and Gild worse- well, worse than they are right now." He said calmly, able to breathe once again. He was not in trouble after all. "I've personally dealt with suffering, and knowing what that feels like makes me diametrically opposed to causing it," he stated, no longer childish but instead completely serious.

"Still, I appreciate your concern. Reminds me of my dad. I've heard what happened to Leah that day, if I am correctly guessing what you are referring to, and you can be sure I am nothing like that mage." He sighed, crossing his own arms to give Emil space. Normally, the excitable squire preferred not to deal in absolutes, but the situation called for it.

"Shall we return to your wife and Leah, or are there any more concerns?" he'd ask, leaning back a bit in an attempt to be slightly more supported if a bit less comfortable.

 

[Leah Kadashal]

Emil nodded. Pleased and satisfied. As much as a father who always held a spot in his heart for worrying over his child could be, anyway.

...I am nothing like that mage.

"I'm glad to hear it."

To Emil's dismay, there were now two such incidents, two such days which could be referred to with equal accuracy. The first, more distant in the past, was the attack in the market. The second, far more recently, was the attack in the Forum. Emil didn't know the name of the Curite in the market, though at least he was dead; he did, however, know the name of the claimant from the Forum: Ollie of Tyr. And by Regel, if he ever got the chance, if he could somehow get his hands on him, he'd wring that Ollie's neck.

He took Nacht at his word, that he was like neither of those two foul men.

"That's it. That's all I wanted to say, Nacht." He pushed open the door, gesturing for Nacht to go in first, following in after and shutting the door.

Didem was waiting patiently by the seat Nacht had been sitting in, the plate full of goodies awaiting him there as well. Leah was still kneeling beside Ranger, petting him as she snuck him a cheeky treat to eat.

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"Alright. Beautiful." Nacht would say with a signature grin, stepping through the door with a pleased expression. "We're back." he'd state, giving Leah and Didem a simple, excited wave and sitting down. "Wow, this just looks...amazing." he'd say, impressed and above all else hungry. He would chuckle and resume petting Ranger, moving his mouth down to near Leah's ear to ask a simple question: "It wasn't all that bad, after all. Is that....questioning, I guess, something that normally happens?" He'd say, retreating and politely shoving a pastry into his mouth. He quickly covered his mouth with a hand, remembering to be polite despite the heavenly flavor of the treat. "So- Sorwy." He said, the sound muffled behind his fist.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

"I'm glad you like it! It's the least we could do for a guest of Gild," Didem said, not missing a beat, her tone exactly as if Emil and Nacht had not stepped outside for a moment at all.

And to Nacht's whispered question, Leah replied in an equal whisper, "All in due course." This occasion was something special, being both the first time she had taken a claimant (not that she had done much handling duty to begin with) to her family bakery and for being so soon after her trial, but she knew that her father, a man of habit, would likely keep to it, if fate decreed that she should do something like this again in the future.

As Leah stood and donned her hat, Didem asked genially of Nacht, "What brings you to visit our humble Kingdom?"

Leah, seeing that Nacht still had mouthful of pastry to deal with, briefly spoke for him, "He is visiting some family here in the city."

"Ohhhhh!" Didem said, her eyes flashing with the joy of a dutiful son or brother doing so, and such was very much in her nature as a mother to praise those who placed family first. "Are you excited? How long as it been since last you saw them?"

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"The last time I saw my aunt, it was a few days after my incident..." He said, rolling up his sleeve to show a fraction of the brutal scar that covered his arms and back. "Long before I could at all control this stuff." He briefly took some darkness from the corners of the room and curled the wisps into a ball before dispelling the manipulation by balling his hand into a fist and watching the sphere dissolve into harmless nothing. "That little show to say, rest assured, that is not the case now. Anyway, by my estimation, it's been about a decade and a few years since she left my old home for Gild." he said with a slightly tired expression, as though he had been worried about this very thing for quite a while now.

"So, in truth, I don't know if I'd say excited as of now...more ambivalent than anything." he said with a shrug, tearing into a roll. "Wow, this shtuff is really good. We have a pretty nishe shef back at the Monashtery, but you might 'ave her beat on baking." He said from behind his hand, swallowing the last bite and reaching down to pet Ranger again. "Do you ever travel, Mr. and Ms. Kadashal, now that you seem to have no children left to take care of?" He asked curiously.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

The tenor in the bakery changed the moment Nacht openly used his magic. Didem, with her gentle heart, changed least of all, her smile merely becoming a touch fragile, even frightened; Emil, back at work behind the bakery counter, nevertheless caught sight of the display and was now glaring daggers at Nacht with all the intensity of a man betrayed; and Leah, for her part, subtly touched her hat, her coat, her pants, refreshing the Nullifying Enchantment on each as Nacht spoke.

And she let him speak, waiting for him to finish. This incident was far different in character than the one she had experienced with "Ollie" of Tyr, chiefly due to the gulf of contrast between Nacht's demeanor and Ollie's, and to the fact that the magical display on Nacht's part appeared to be a regrettable lapse in judgment rather than, as it had been in the Forum with Ollie, a willful interference with Gildan law.

Nacht asked his question of Didem and Emil, but neither said nothing. It was Leah who spoke...after her hand came to rest on the hilt of her sheathed rapier.

"Claimant Nacht," she said, "though you have been granted Clemency by the Church of Jura, which has heeded the will of our God Regel, unnecessary displays of magic that are incongruent with the stated purpose of your visitation to Gild will not be tolerated. This is your first and final warning."

Leah's tone lacked all anger, lacked any sense of indignation or offense, contained no trouble or disquiet either, and altogether was quite neutral, if still firm, as her present duty required it to be. In Leah's view, what would be the cause for such emotion? Were things not preceding as Regel's divine plan envisioned? Nacht simply could not have done otherwise, for it was fated, from the very day of his birth, that he would be here, in Gild, in this bakery, and would perform that small feat of magic before her eyes and the eyes of her mother and father. And Leah herself could not have done otherwise than what she was currently engaged in, issuing her warning in response and in the calm but stern manner she was issuing it. So rejoice! All was well, for all was ordered—fate was never interrupted.

"Do we have an understanding?"

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

The tone of the whole bakery changed in an instant, and Nacht knew that what he had meant to be a comforting gesture was actually interpreted as some kind of threat or show of dominance. Like a dog and a human, not that I consider any of these people dogs, but using magic in front of them is like looking one in the eye. In the animal mind, that's a challenge. The comforting aura thus far caused me to lower my guard and I made a mistake, he realized. "Pardon me. I understand my unfortunate lapse in judgement might have caused worry."

That was the final nail in the coffin in his book. A sentence like that might have accidentally worsened the situation. He doubted Leah's parents would be up for resuming their jovial conversation even after whatever concessions he made, and he stood up, giving Ranger one more pet. Around the knights, around friends he might stick around, but when it came to the outside world, Nacht had gained the skill to read a rather blatant room at a young age and did not suddenly lose that ability. Still, this silence demanded by the rules of courtesy could be broken if only to show gratitude. Being suddenly unwelcome was no excuse to not thank those who once showed you kindness as long as nothing too drastic happened.

"Oh, and thank you very much for your hospitality. I can leave if that's what is needed." he said to Mr. and Ms. Kadashal (the former now glaring at him as though he had just politely insulted his entire life and could do nothing but be silently mad), bowing. Right, in the future, no magic anywhere in Gild for any reason. EVER. I'll keep that in mind, he thought, resolve steeling. He had forgotten where he was for the second time now, and he decided it would be best if such a mistake did not take place again. You are not some crazy person without regard for rules, so best act like it, Nacht, he scolded himself. "May I have a word outside, Regulator Leah?" Best not to act too familiar, as it did not seem the time. She had to know he was seriously respecting their position.

Magic is completely outlawed, even when it is used with good intentions. I'm fortunate this knowledge was found with such few consequences, he thought. If Leah followed him outside, he would say: "I don't believe that simply apologizing will fix this. Perhaps a more...definite gesture? I've read that agents of Regel such as yourself, Leah, can extinguish magic and prevent it from being used. That's like...a big part of your job." he said, slightly unsure of what such a process would entail. "Can you use your skill on me?" he asked, completely serious. If the squire had anything, it would be guts (in very specific situations) and integrity. He had promised not to hurt Leah, and that extended to her feelings as well, though he suspected those had not been harmed either. Therefore, he now held within himself a sense of responsibility common sense said to pursue.

Leah Kadashal

 

[Leah Kadashal]

"I think that's for the best," Emil said. His tone was level, and though his anger was held firmly in check, his eyes couldn't hide it. Less did he care about the display of magic—sinful in its own right though it was—and more about what it could have meant for his daughter, if it had been done in different circumstances.

Didem, clearly quite glad that the moment of severity had passed, said to Nacht in a motherly way despite everything, "Do take some snacks with you, if you like! You need not leave hungry."

"Outside," Leah said, agreeing with his request by a small echo of it. Such matters were better kept between them.

So she stepped outside...not before giving Ranger a final few pets herself. And there, standing off to the side of the Bakery's door, she listened to what he had to say.

Can you use your skill on me?

And Leah was pleased. Why not? Was it not a cause for satisfaction, for joy even, when a man recognized his faults and sought to correct them of his own volition? Was it not admirable that Nacht had the forbearance to adhere to the law of the land, whose soil he presently stood upon? Was it not good that he did not let things like indignation and arrogance govern him, differing in this way from less restrained Curites?

What glories Regel, through his divine workings, had brought upon Nacht, by bidding him to visit Gild, and by allowing for this incident the bakery. He had orchestrated a demonstration of Nacht's character, and so demonstrated it was, for her eyes to see.

"Yes," she said. "I need only touch your shirt." Or boots, trousers, necklace, armor, anything which was inanimate, really. But his shirt would do just fine. With her Enchantment upon it, it would for several hours render Nacht, who wore it and thus had it within his immediate proximity, unable to cast; magical effects, if overpowered, would be dispelled. Whatever familiarity he had with his magic—its presence, its power—would vacate him, and that vacancy would bring would feelings it may.

Before Leah did this, however, she asked, "Have you ever experienced what it is like to be suddenly bereft of your magic? I have been told that the first experience especially is...disconcerting, and uncomfortable."

Nacht

 

[Nacht]

"No, actually. What'll it be like?"

(got a big post coming up srry for the oneliner)