Topic: Knights of the C.O.S.

Allegria

Date: 2011-10-07 20:52 EST
They were mirror images of the other as they walked in step with each other, the matching black armor with the glimmering insignia of Dual blades of gold on a field of blood red and night wrapped hilts of two sets of twin blades. The only distinguishing difference between the two was one that could not be hidden beneath the deep hoods they wore. One had hair of spun platinum and eyes of blue that pierced the shadows of the cowl's lining. The other hair as dark as night and eyes twice as deep as midnight.

While they made their way to the Temple they would be calling home, they caught and held the eyes of a few and courteously gave nod before moving on, never breaking their stride. There was no pause as the Temple doors were open to them, vanishing inside.

"Your Grace," Allegria spoke as she and Tlysia knelt. "We left as soon as we got word. I, Sister Allegria, am here to relieve the acting Knight Captain to return to her duties."

"Your Grace." Tlysia said as they both rose to their feet.

"Sisters, please. I know it's been a long journey." Jenai stood before them, Sister Khelle on her left. "We will talk after you have had a meal and a moments rest. There is much to catch you up on. Sister Khelle, if you please..."

"Of course your Grace. If you will follow me Knight Captain, Lieutenant."

Jenai Ravenlock

Date: 2011-10-12 00:28 EST
Days had passed and rather haphazardly at that, and not on her behalf.

Jenai sat back in the warded healing springs and meditation garden of the COS Temple. Her feet moving lazily as she ran her hands over her face. "what the hell is wrong with these people?"

"You are meaning the peoples you protect or perhapsing the people protecting from?"

Jenai looked over her shoulder and say Gunda and Asta looking down at her. The twins looked so funny out of uniform. Jenai was starting to think she looked funny out of uniform any more. But there they were off duty and wishing to sink in the silent night air.

"Both." Jen gave a grunting smile and looked back across the waters.
"but girls. Next time do not speak out before I do. I know your energy gets wound up and it seems to find an outlet with your mouth."

"I am your High Priestess and you are my Sargent's. Do not shame me again." Her smile was gone and her face was filled with warning as she looked up to the twins.

"Of course your Grace." "Understood your Grace." They were the first ones to break eye contact as they turned to walk back inside, suddenly thinking that out of sight out of mind.

"To bed. We have a early morning Very Early."

Allegria gave the sisters a nod as she passed them to the garden, a package in hand. A simple classic little brown paper thing tied with twine.

"Excuse me your Grace," Allegria waited a few paces away knowing Jenai's mood as thick and conflicted as brewing storm.

"Of course Allegria, what is it?"
"This came for you while we were out."

Jenai could hear the question rather than the statement. She wanted to ask what it was, but Jenai already knew as she took the package in hand and set it down beside her.

"I wish this would have come sooner. This is just... bad timing." Jenai ignored Allegria's curiosity and closed her eyes again. But before Allegria could depart completely, she added...

"Please make a stop by our little kitchen and make sure things are set out. We have to cook before dawn, I want no running around at last minute and then I want those on the morning mission all in their bunks sleeping."

"Your Grace." Allegria nodded and went off to carry out orders to make sure concerns would be met.

Allegria

Date: 2011-10-17 16:47 EST
It had been a good start to the early morning. The temple was alive well before the sun would rise.

Her Grace had already started and seen to early prayer and temple services for the girls who would be working this morning and letting the younger priestess see to holding service to those who would not be joining them on the road.

Gria walked through the halls, moving aside as 2 sisters passed her with warming pans will with food and another rushing to keep up with 3 rather large baskets of bread stacked on top the other.

The smell. oh goddess. The smell of freshly baked bread sent Gria's stomach into a frenzy and her mouth started to water at once. But she'd wait. It had been the Cleric Commander's wish that she herself would eat after they returned to the C.O.S. Temple as a reminder to what it feels like to hunger and be thankful for every morsel she had. Gria and the others agreed following Jenai's example that they too would wait and dine with their Commander.

Tlysia could be seen herself coming out of the temple's humble kitchen, two crates of apples. Her large size and the crates made her have to walk , more like shuffle, down the busy hall.

"Is that the last of it? " Allegria looked back down the hall to towards the exit where wagons would be waiting.

"Yes ma'am. The rest is outside, Her Grace is already mounted, Sister Khelle as well." Tlysia went on with her shuffle scoot and out the door.

"Asta, Gunda!" Allegria spotted the two near the steps as she herself exited and headed towards the small gathering of 2 wagons, each filled with food and a few sister Clerics to help.

"We'll be back shortly, Her Grace has a meeting later today for us, I need you both to attend and put any incoming messages on her desk. And... " she stopped and took a thoughtful expression. "could you see to bringing Tiki from the house to here please. I think it would do Her Grace and the cat both some good."

The twins nodded and waited party mounted and headed out into the approaching dawn. The carts were filled with a wide variety of breakfast foods and fruits, hams, eggs, morning stew, gravy, bacon, fresh morning rolls and sweet breads, milk and creme and a bit of butter and cheese and all on their way to the Children of City's Orphanages.

Allegria

Date: 2011-10-17 17:00 EST
that afternoon...

It had been a few days even though this morning had been busy. It was worth it and left the C.O.S. with energy. A feeling and a few very quiet days for Jenai that she'd used to her full advantage. Her schedule had been given a twice over by Sister Khelle as they knew time soon would be in short supply.

Her "office", she hated having one but found it a necessity, had been moved to one of the larger rooms within the archivist section of the C.O.S. Temple. The other had just been a small room for her to keep a few things, a small shrine for private meditation and a humble desk to do simple work.

The desk had grown too small for all the notices, invoices, recommendations, accounting letters, maps, fundraisers, meetings, rosters incoming and out going, out reach programs, and numerous personal missives. Along with the much bigger desk, she now had heavy bookshelves lining one walls across the way from a multi track map set for the other wall and much more room now for 4 chairs comfortably.

She recalled them all pretty much sitting on top of eachother last time and was pleased that they would be able to hold bit more proper meetings like now.

Jenai sat behind that desk now and was deep in thought looking at a map of outlying land and farmlands right outside Rhydin Proper.

"Allegria," she began with out looking over. Gria, Tlysia and Khelle all took chairs. Sister Asta and Gunda stood being both lower ranking even though most trusted of Sargents. "I need you in charge of most of this, You and Sister Khelle please." she sat the paper down and ran a finger tip in small circles at her temple.

"Take a small light group with you, including a flag bearer, to the outside farms. The JRC funds used to be used to help farmers a bit out of reach of the locals here with buying crops, livestock and surplus. With the JRC shut down suddenly, I am sure they had little warning and now may be left with goods that would simply spoil. We can use the supplies they have and they could use the money. We can see the supplies are sent to the shelters around here especially with winter approaching it will benefit more than one side"

"Easy enough your Grace." Allegria was already making a small list of who she'd want to take with her. This morning's donation of food to the orphanages had come out of the temple's pocket with out remorse and cooked by the sister clerics themselves, but to have food and supplies donated would make it easier for them to do this more often.

Jenai reached over and picked up a paper she'd received early this morning and gave it one more quick read before she began.

"We will also be receiving company soon. I can not give you more details than that. But Sister Khelle, please see they are show complete hospitality and that if they need, arrangements will be made at the our expense." she put the paper down and reached for her cup, it was empty of course...

"And if they are less than," Khelle began but Jenai quickly cut her off.
"If they are less than friendly, do it anyways. It only shows us in a better light. Just inform me at once if anything changes."

Jenai doubted that this would be the last time they had visitors. They'd opened up their doors to anyone and had nothing to hide.

People would come or they wouldn't but either way Jenai would treat each with courtesy and respect... until otherwise warranted.




(posted with permission and taken from im play thanks to Jenai, Tlysia and myself. Edited a billion times by me lol)

Jenai Ravenlock

Date: 2011-10-25 12:13 EST
Where to start seemed a stupid question to Jenai. There was no "starting" place to any of things she had to see done. It was all simply a "next" thing. One thing after another.

She'd opened the Temple and reached out to any of the Abby that needed help. She felt their plight a bit more personally then she would like to admit. But she would only do what she could with the rest of the building storm.

She paced in her office as Sister Khelle watched her.

"A personal letter and carrier has been sent out to Lord Neian, I want to be notified as soon as that group returns because I need to figure out what to do about Jade. If they wish personal retribution I will not go against another culture. But I must know before I act." Hence why Jade was given one night. she could leave, change the crazy channel...., be killed today, but what ever Jenai had to know.

"At least with the extra food from outside the city, we can make sure we have enough for the shelters and the Abby members with out effecting our own supplies. But I fear Sister Khelle we are running out of room soon."

"Icer, I don't know what to do about that. I wish I could help her more but there is still so much she doesn't know, that hell even I don't know. I don't mind helping those who can not help themselves, but this is not the case. Not yet at least."

She stopped pacing before a window behind her desk, Khelle just watching her. She knew that sometimes this was the best way for Jenai to shift through her thoughts. The hearts and minds of so many.

"Then there is Raven..."

Jonathan M DeFranque

Date: 2011-10-27 22:59 EST
?Sir! Cadencia, is en route with Red, Sir! They are just a few blocks down the street.?

Jonathan, offered a nod to the cadet, who in turn took his leave once more, running back towards Cadencia, Red and their newly formed caravan.

Jonathan then turned to Sean shaking his head softly, ?Seems like older times, Sean. Remember when we first came here to Rhy?din??

?How the hell can I forget, Jonathan? You damn near lost everything you worked for, playing with Kairee as you did.?

This time it was Sean who shook his head, ?And the second time. Well, I?ve no idea, what the hell we were thinking then, Jonathan.?

?Either way Sean, it all lead us to this moment, did it not?? Jonathan, glanced about the area that was the Market Place of Rhy?din. The pair were near the Grande Fountain in the Centre proper.

?Guess it did, John. But this time, it feels different, you know? This time it feels..?

?This time Sean, it feels very real and more so, very finite.?

?Something like that, John. I don?t know. What we are dealing with here, well you saw the watch when we came in. You heard about Marfa?s people. You see the citizens? Even now they stop and stare. It?s a mess, John and I don?t think we really know what we are doing here? I don?t know. Just sayin, is all.?

The Paladin known as Jonathan Michael DeFranque, glanced about the Market a moment more.. Clad in the armor of his order, a light plate set. White with gold, and red trim, the emblazoned set of scales, adorning the chest piece. A gloved hand lowered to gently offer his mount a scratch, or two.

As a passerby paused, Jonathan offered a warm smile to the lady and her child, ?We are here to help you all, I promise.?

The pair smiled to the Paladins, and ran off talking to others, as they passed. Even Sean could hear the hushed talk, as it made the rounds.
Jonathan glanced to Sean once more, as he rightened himself in the saddle once more.

A wink offered to Sean as he cleared his throat a tad.

?We are the Order of Delphyne Goddess of Balance! We are here to help in any way we can, the people of this city! This is our promise here, and now! You are not alone, Rhy?din! We are but one of many, who wish to help you all! We seek the Clandestine Order of Scathach! Can anyone assist us!??

?I can help you, Soldier.?

Sean, and John each looked at the one that had spoken out. Sean?s eyes widened a tad in regards to the person.

Before the pair, she stood. Hair of the greenest green, pig tails no less. She looked to be 16 or so, and garbed in what John assumed was a Holy robe of some type. The Japanese kanji, looking rather familiar, as he softly spoke. ?Shinto.?

?My name is Yotsuba Urashima-Ravenlock, and I?ll take you to Jenai.?
?I am Jonathan and this is Sean, and we thank you.?

?Don?t thank me yet, Paladin. You?ve no idea what you arrived into.?
?Regardless Miss Yotsuba, we thank you.?

Yotsuba simply nodded, an motioned to the western exit of the Market proper. ?If I am not mistaken Mister Jonathan, your people will arrive there, in a few moments. We can leave from there.?

Offering a respectful bow, Yotsuba turned from the pair, and made her way towards the exit she had pointed to a moment ago.

As the lass walked away, Sean swore he saw, ?Wings??
?Hmmm,? asked Jonathan.

?Wings, John. The girl there, she has--- I saw wings.?

?Wings, Sean??

?Yes, John. She had feathered wings.?

?Hmmm, ?said Jonathan as he eyed Yotsuba once more. ?You may be right, after all the girl is a Shinto Priestess and from the look of the kanji on her robes, she is a battle priestess.?

?I thought the makings were familiar, and I know the names. The Urashimas were here for that mess in WestEnd all those years back. They held the undead wall in check, despite losing a great number of their own. An didn?t they also defend the town hall during the ?scarred? incident??

Jonathan nodded, ?That?s right, alongside Ravenlock and his people. Losses were staggering then, as well.?

?John, maybe that?s what she meant by we have no idea what we?ve arrived into. I mean, if it really is Ravenlock doing this, what will we do? And you do know that Jenai is his woman, as well? Can she be trusted, as well? What if this is all some sick gambit, and we are now entwined within it? And didn?t Ravenlock also work for Kairee at one time and the government as well? What if----?

?Sean, do you trust me??

Jonathan M DeFranque

Date: 2011-10-27 23:01 EST
?John, what--- of course I trust you! You are my best friend, and a brother to me? John you know I trust you.?

?And if I told you that Delphyne showed me what path to take and more so, that we were to in fact with no doubt approach Jenai?s people, and help this city. That the balance of this place has been sorely set awry and we have to do whatever we can to help those here, set it right once more. If I told you that this came from Delphyne herself to me more than once. Would you believe me, Sean??

?I?d tell you, I believe you. I believe you, John.?

Jonathan Michael DeFranque nodded to his brother, once more.

?Sean, this very moment and whatever comes after this. This is why we were sent here all those years. Why we endured what we had, and why we left and have now returned. This will define what we are, my brother. This will shape one of many paths for us, and Delphyne promises, she will never abandon us, just as we had never abandoned her.?

?By the Lady?s grace John.?

?Aye Sean, by the Lady?s Grace, indeed.?

The pair urged their horses gently towards the western exit, offering nods to those the passed along the way. As they did so, Sean looked to Jonathan once more and asked, ?I wonder how she knew Red, and Cadencia would be arr??

?What the blasted hell is this swill!? They call this ungodly mess, Beer!? Blasphemy I tell you, Blasphemy! I swear if we wasn?t workin, I?d give em a what not, and a kick to the arse as sure as the sun rises!?

Cut off in mid-sentence, by the distanced rant, Sean simply face palmed.

?I take that back, as you can hear John. Red and Cadencia have arrived.?

Nodding to Sean, John took a look towards the western once more, and there they were lined up on the side of the road.

Three wagons, loaded to the max.

The lead wagon was filled with cases of what looked to be bottled water, canned foods and dried goods. Rice, oats and grains were also noted. Also present were several kettles loaded with fresh veggies, and fruits. Soldiers also took up a good amount of space, guarding the cargo. In the driver?s seat was an older man.

A rather burly looking one, no less. With such a head of red hair and a beard to nearly offer competition to the dwarves themselves. His armor matched everyone else?s. Save one small emblem upon the upper right corner of his chest piece, near his heart. It was in the shape of a small tankard.

The second wagon was loaded with blankets, pillows, sundries, sheets and other home related goods. This wagon was driven by a rather young looking lady. A head of black, short and wavy in a pixie cut. An eye of blue, as the other was patched. A pleasant smile formed upon the face of Cadencia De Lacourte, as she waited for Red?s ranting to come to an end.

The third wagon was filled with tents, lanterns, and outdoor equipment. This was manned by a young cadet simply called, ?New guy?.

So there they were, as John and Sean approached.

?Red, do you ever stop complaining?? asked Sean.

?Do you ever stop asking?? replied Cadencia.

?Touche??, tossed in John.

Yotsuba simply walked up to Red?s wagon, and took the spot next to him. Leaning to the man, she whispered in his ear.

Whatever was said, the impact was instant as Red stood and cried out.

?Listen up Lads! Line it up, and we move out now!?

Sean and John had to chuckle, as the gleam in Red?s eye spoke of something alcohol related.

Moving alongside Red?s wagon, John nodded once more and they were underway, as Sean took the rear of the caravan.

Three wagons, two horses and thirty soldiers moved down the road neatly, and according to Yotsuba, in less than15 minutes they the Order of Delphyne would finally meet the Clandestine Order of Scathach.

To assure all went well, Yotsuba sent word ahead to Jenai.

It was time to start making things right again.