Field of Chivalry (Olyver)

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia loved to be in a bustling city such as Camelot. Thankfully it was bustling again, after all the horrible events that had come to pass in the last few weeks and months. One catastrophe chasing the other and finally reaching a summit in the attack of King Cenred's immortal army, with Morgana taking up the throne of Camelot. Cenred... rumors had it he was dead, which Yassia could only rejoice in. It had been almost a year now, but her meeting with this sleazy man was still a vivid memory and stuff of many a nightmare.
Another topic of her bad dreams had been the unknown fate of her uncle Leon, second in command after Cenred's men attacked the border. He had been missing, then miraculously revived by the Cup of Life and in the fights for Camelot he had been captured again. Yassia also vividly remembered the nightmarish scene when she thought she had to watch him being executed for his loyalty for Camelot.

But everything was alright again now, Leon was healthy and as high in anyone's regard as ever, maybe even more, as he had been one of those few knights around Arthur recapturing the citadel. Yes, everything was alright... except one minor detail.

Yassia still was in the wrong country.

Almost a year and yet she had not come one step closer of recapturing her rightful place on the throne of Ailantha. The stars only knew what was going on in her homeland ever since she left. Did they even think her alive still? Was her uncle Guifré ruling with an iron fist? Had she been outlawed, forgotten? Had everyone moved on?
The sheer thought alone was unbearable and so Yassia welcomed even the tiniest distraction, in this case the marketplace. Slowly the trading business was turning back to normal, and people were selling and buying as ever. Colorful cloth in all colors and fabrics, tools and jewelry, booth for booth, stand for stand, it was a splendid sight that should make every girl's heart leap.

But Yassia hadn't come here for trinkets, she was more interested in the booths selling herbs in every state of treatment: dried, fresh, chopped, even made into remedies already. It wasn't happening often people asked her for help, but Gaius, the court physician, had appreciated her assistance a few times already.
Deep in thoughts as she was, slowly sauntering her way along the stands and squeezing through a mass of people, she didn't notice a pouch falling from her heavily loaded arms as she walked on.

[Olyver Vane]

The busy bustling city of Camelot was rushing all around him, and Olyver was enjoying his time there. He wasn't normally out in the market but, he was glad to be out of the stuffy atmosphere of the court. He hadn't personally been through the ordeal of the immortal army, having left when King Cenred first became allied with the witch Morgause. The latest of rumours were that Cenred had been killed. That would leave his kingdom in a state of peril and yet he'd long left that kingdom.
The reasoning was simple. He couldn't uphold his honour if he was being forced to attack another kingdom without their knowledge, if he couldn't uphold a sense of justice with that. It was part of a knight's duty to protect the weak and the innocent. Although, just by leaving he'd broken his prized Code of Chivalry.

The comfort of being in the marketplace Olyver had a few things on his list of shopping, mainly to get supplies to keep his weapons in top shape. He was a man that liked to take care of things himself. For that reason, he worked himself hard. For that reason he was improving his skills in swordsmanship, and everything but archery, which was already his top-notch skill. His list included buying a new quiver, and getting a few new strings for his longbow and crossbow. It was also a reason to just get out and see the city.

Upon watching one woman passing by, he noted her arms full of pouches and it caught his attention when one fell to the ground. When the woman hadn't noticed he picked it up before it could be trampled and cleared his throat. “Miss! You dropped something!” He called out before following after Yassia. He figured that he should accompany her and lighten her load. It wasn't every too often he'd have the chance to help someone out.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Alright… what did she need further? Her supplies were all in good order and it was not like she needed them on a daily basis. In the end, it was not too befitting for a lady of her status to be a herbalist or physician all the time. Even her mother had only done it in emergencies, using her knowledge to help injured knights or to cure children when everything else failed. Leon would never say anything against her field of action, and she was hardly noticed in court, just another nameless face for many, but still Yassia felt it to be her duty to keep up some appearances, just like she was some sort of ambassador for her country. Which well she could be. It also depended on how she was viewed by the Camelotians, if they woul finally send some help back to her kingdom, to help her regain the crown.

A male voice dragged her out of her pondering state, calling out after someone. Her? Quickly she checked her countless packages and bags, and really, one was missing, the one with the camphor leaves. Sighing she turned around, balancing the remaining pouches awkwardly. Why hadn’t she brought a maid with her? But Yassia knew the answer. Her interest for herbs and remedies was viewed as a peculiarity, she didn’t want the midly disapproving glances of any girl on her that had been forced to come along to carry her burden. But now she looked more like a maid herself than the princess she was, probably the reason this man had called her the non-specific ‘Miss’ instead of ‘Mylady’.
“How very considerate of you!” she greeted him with a thankful smile, and took a moment to examine him. He looked every inch the knight though she didn’t recall seeing him before. Camelot’s court had grown in size now though, these were changing times.

“Now, if you place it carefully on top of all of these”, she motioned with her head and suddenly smiled wider, clearly seeing the fun in this awkward situation, “I’m sure to make it to the castle without dropping too much. Thanks again for your kindness, Sir!”
It was not like she wasn’t in the mood for a little conversation, or wanted to dimiss him rudely in any way, just that her load was getting rather heavy, but she didn’t dare to ask him if he would want to help her. That would be pushing his chivalrous nature, right? He was no subject of hers, and so she could not demand him either.

[Olyver Vane]

It was comforting to see that he had managed to reach through to the woman, without having to go through too much trouble. The fact of the matter was that he had to return it, although finding out that the woman was carrying such a load of satchels and pouches made him worry just the slightest. It wasn't right in his mind for a woman to be carrying such a load on her own, and it irritated him a bit that no man had been polite enough to offer the woman help. He found himself thinking over what exactly to say, as though the word considerate had been used by the woman he couldn't help but feel it was his duty.

"It was my pleasure, my lady." He responded finally, with a smile and then cleared his throat. "I'm afraid that I will not do that, for I would enjoy assisting you for certainly those pouches must be quite the burden on a young maiden, I would gladly help you take them back to the castle." He stated, wondering vaguely what was in the many little bundles. He didn't want to be pushy, and he was actually a bit nervous and prayed that he hadn't come off sounding too demanding or even lord forbid, like some sexist pig. It was far from thinking that women were the weaker gender as some men thought. He thought that it was right for a man to offer help, especially to a person who had their arms full with a task.

"I apologise if my words come off rude in any fashion, but I believe that it would be quicker, and easier to share the task. I'd have trouble carrying so many pouches at once myself." He said with a smile.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia raised one perfectly arched eyebrow in wonder as the man before her let off such a confident speech. It seemed to be a given for him that she would accept his offer just like that, simply assuming his help was needed. Then again, it clearly was, the pouches and satchles were heavy enough and just as she stood there Yassia could feel another slipping under her arm, dangerously close to falling on the ground as well. Hm… she hadn’t intended to buy so much in the first place, clearly, else she would have brought some basket or anything similar.
And he also didn’t look like he was some peon demanding unjust payment – or other things Yassia didn’t want to dwell on – when she accepted his help. No, like she had observed before, everything in his whole demeanor suggested the noble yet chivalrous man. And as such, it seemed only a natural step to him not questioning his own actions.

“If that is what you feel you must do, Sir, then who am I to deny myself the kindly offered hand of chivalry?” Yassia stated with a smile and turned to him more, so he could take a few pouches off the load if he really wanted to let deeds follow his words. “I just hope it won’t be of any inconvenience for you, that I’m not keeping you from any task you might have had in mind to pursue.” Like every time she weighed her words so carefully, speaking in an utmost courtly fashion, her foreign accent she normally was able to surpress to a minimum, took over her speech, adding a trill to every word. She might have been raised with this language as well, but she had never used it for court before, only for private talk in her family, which had helped her much on her journey to conceal at least some parts of her origin.

“But before I let you lift a finger for me, I will ask for the name of this kind gentleman offering his help”, Yassia demanded and made it sound mockingly imperious. “Embarking on such an adventure together, I daresay we need to know whom we are dealing with!”


[OOC: Teheee, my 100th post is going to youuu xD]

[Olyver Vane]

Olyver watched the woman, obviously noble or even royalty, as he intended to help. The very fact that the women didn't have a basket was notification to him that either she hadn't expected to buy so much, or that she'd been separated from someone whom did. Noticing how uncomfortable the load of pouches and satchels must have been, he figured that it would be best to be quick with any words exchanged and to act with the best of intentions.

"I do, my lady. It is of no inconvenience at all, and I would be glad to assist you. It does not detter me from any tasks." And although he noticed the odd trill to the accent the woman spoke, he didn't particularly know know where to place it. "As for my name, it is Olyver Vane, mylady. And I dare say that I would enjoy to know whom it is that I am assisting on such a perilous journey to the castle!" He replied, a smile coming to his features to show that his words were in jest and hewanted nothing more then to do what was humanly right, meaning that he just wanted to be polite and help a woman in need, be it a noblewoman, a member of some exotic royal court, or a handmaiden, it didn't matter to him, for he believed not only in the code, but of fair treatment to any and all peoples. From the farmers, to the blacksmith, the cobblers to the richest man in the lands.

"And, I shall now assist you, shall you allow me." Olyver stated simply.

(( You get my 10th on this account. ))

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Oh what a nice change it was to happen upon a courteous counterpart. In her time here, Yassia had met enough young men who were more talk than anything, prattling on about inanities and how proud they were to serve Camelot. Some of them she even had classified as suitors, but she had never returned any of their advances. To maintain her precarious position, she needed a man that one: would be willing to venture to Ailantha with her – ever assumed she was even looking for anyone coming from here – and he would have to be more than words. Words didn’t win back a throne, not in this case at least. Recent events had clearly shown that. Arthur Pendragon was such a man of deeds, he had reconquered Camelot by cunning and a handful of loyal knights. Could anyone blame Yassia for dreaming about such a happy end for her country, too? Not with Arthur as the protagonist though, no that thought didn’t even enter her mind. He was a friend, nothing more, and of course he had his own kingdom to look after…

Returning her attention to the man in front of her, she realised he had given his name. Olyver Vane. Not something ringing any bells, and after more than a year at court that meant something even for Yassia. So he was not from a very important family. Not that it mattered in any way. Even the most unimportant noble of Camelot might still be more important than her, the forgotten guest. Yassia couldn’t help but wonder when things would finally calm down enough for Camelot to help her out. Her sad thoughts didn’t keep her from using the proper manners though. With as graceful a curtsy as she could muster balancing all those pouches, she acknowledged him. “What a pleasure to meet you, Olyver Vane. My name is Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha, but I’m sure this title means nothing to you.” A slightly mischievous smile played around her lips. “Now that we know the names, let’s storm this castle and conquer it with all our combined force.”

Nodding gracefully, she carefully extended her arms a bit further from her body, to make it easier for Olyver to pick a few satchels from the top of the heap. “Of course I allow you, and I thank you dearly, Senyor!” she replied, lapsing into her native tongue out of accident. It didn’t happen often anymore, but when it did, she always felt embarrassed and blushed, like she did now.

[Olyver Vane]

Offering a smile as he gathered as many of the satchels as he could comfortable carry, he nodded. "I am grateful for your words, my lady." He replied and wondered what language the young woman was speaking. He knew that the woman was from some place, and that it was someplace far from Camelot, and his thoughts were turning gears in his head. "Aye, we shall conquer it and call the castle Camelot." He joked, and smiled at the woman, and then cleared his throat as he wanted to be serious. "I'm afraid that I have not heard of Ailantha, my lady. Is it far away? Is it still part of Albion, or is it far from here, milady?" Olyver then added on, "please forgive me if you take offense to my question."

He began to take slow steps towards the castle, keeping an eye out for the woman that he knew was at the very least nobility if not higher in the social chain. The streets of the market were crowded, and at times he still found himself getting lost amongst the rocky roads. He had to be careful, for due to the fact that once upon a time he had worked for the kingdom that had been ruled by Cenred. If he had told anyone that, save for anyone whom truly knew he, he was worried that he'd be flogged, and run out of the citadel and it's surrounding villages. "I'm not from Camelot either, by the way. " He stated, making conversation.

(( Sorry it took so long, and that it's so short! ))

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia was opening up around this man rather quickly, and she wondered why. Perhaps it was because she felt relatively secure now where she was, no apparent threats to her persona, or to anyone close to her. She could just enjoy her days for now, while she waited until things calmed down a little for Camelot. Then, she was sure, Arthur would not deny her the aid she needed, as they were on good terms, far better terms than she would ever be with his father or had been with the supposed Queen Morgana. Of course, Arthur was not king yet, but Yassia was sure he could convince his father to give his name to the little help Yassia needed. It was no army, no whole military campaign, just maybe the arms and weapons of four or five knights willing to follow her down south, her uncle probably amongst them. That was not much, compared to other petitions.

So, yes, that might be why she was willing to enjoy herself while she could, enjoying chivalrous company none the less. The constant play of ‘can I trust you or will you betray me’ was finally at an end.
“Camelot?” she joked and opened her eyes wide in awe. “Why, Senyor, what an excellent name! I must congratulate you!” She let it follow by a chuckle and then shrugged her shoulders. “Oh no, I’m not offended in any way. It’s a valid question after all. Yes, Ailantha is far away, it’s beyond Albion, across the sea on the continent, and then further and furhter south west.” She sighed in rememberance. “I was on my way for several months until I reached Camelot. I’ve surely seen the world.”

Walking towards the citadel in company was nice, and Yassia found she could keep up easily with Olyver’s pace, all the more as thanks to him she was not so loaded anymore. When he said he was not from Camelot either, she cocked her head in interest. “Oh really? Where from then? Somewhere from the other four kingdoms? I passed through a few of them on my way here. They all had their own amenities, but I must confess, I like Camelot best. It’s truly a wonderful kingdom.”

[Olyver Vane]

Olyver was glad that he was able to joke around, it made him feel calm and like he was able to open up and not worry about the fact he was from a country that should very well be considered the enemy. "Yes, Camelot! I believe it to be a fair name!" He laughed and smiled over to the woman, watching Yassia as she spoke, nodding slightly. "Ah, I see. That seems like quite the travel. I am glad to see that you quite obviously made it here safely." He stated and then when the question of his nationality came up, he felt a bit awkward. It was quite difficult to say where he was from, especially out in the middle of the marketplace.

"Oh... Well... Before I tell you where I am from, I want you to keep in mind that I left the place for a reason, because the king was not following the knight's code of chivalry, and that I renounced my citizenship of the kingdom I was born in." He announced, wanting to make it clear that he was no way tied to his former kingdom. "In fact, I wouldn't be here if that were the case my lady, for I was a nobleman and a knight of Cenred's kingdom. It truly is not something that I am proud of." The man sighed and then thought for a moment before continuing.

"Ah, yes. I quite agree with you about Camelot. It is quite a wonderful kingdom. The people are lively, the men are well trained, and I believe that Prince Arthur will be a fair king when his day comes."

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia shook her head at her own silliness, but she was by no means willing to drop it just yet. The feeling of lightheartedness was truly invigorating. Who would have thought a simple trip to the market would hold such interesting amenities. It was not like Yassia was sitting around in her room all day, or only talked to her uncle, she liked to socialize quite a lot, but the conversations held directly at court were either filled with gossip or with political debates, always someone there hogging the spotlight, thinking himself oh so very apt and important everyone had to know his opinion and better agree to it. This was different. It was a friendly conversation with no strings attached.
“I am glad I made it here as well” Yassia replied with a smile, “though my stay has extended over a while now that was… unexpected in the beginning. I will not bore you with complaints, and I am not even sure I really want to complain, but…” she shrugged, not really knowing how to put it. “It… was never meant to become my home… just a station where I would find help.”

It was good Olyver had voiced his confession like he had, so cautious and awkward, making her wonder what kind of crime he had committed before he spoke Cenred’s name. And it was also fortunate she had developed at least a bit of sympathy for him before, because this was truly a shocking revelation.
“I see”, she said, trying to keep her voice neutral, though she couldn’t help unpleasant memories flooding her mind. It was not this man’s fault that she had been captured, she had not seen him there when in Cenred’s claws so there was no reason for a personal dislike. You can’t judge a man for where he came from, that’s what Yassia had been told by her father from an early age. Judge a person by his deeds, not his roots. That will show if he’s a chip of the old block or not. And Olyver said he had renounced his citizenship. That could be a lie, but then again she had judged him as an honest man before.

“Don’t take my answer for hostility, please”, Yassia added as she realized a thick silence had ensued between them. “I’m just… surprised I guess.” She gave him a weak smile. “I was once ‘blessed’ with experiencing the non-chivalrous side of Cenred myself, so I know what I’m talking about, whereas the hostility of others might mostly be based on hearsay.” She took a deep breath, deciding to draw a line under this unpleasant topic. “But that you are here now and the way you talk about Camelot tells me all I need to know. With your kind permission I will not look upon you as an enemy, Senyor.”

She let that be followed by an encouraging smile, hoping to lighten the mood.