Laeynna waited some moments before she moved to join Jessalyn. Still thinking it wiser (and more convenient for her) to sit on the other side of the basket, she did so. She didn't dare ruffle through the foodstuffs yet, if only because she hadn't been the one to purchase it. Fortunately, she had some coin on her and meant to see it in Jessalyn's hands before she left, even if the woman found the ground and wound up dying.
Come to think of it, she could have placed poison on the coin as well. It would have meant Laeynna was also touching it, but she liked to think that she'd made enough foolish errors with poisons that perhaps she'd develop some type of immunity at some point. (It didn't seem realistic if she failed to, after all.)
Focusing in on Jessalyn's words, she found herself agreeing with most of it, though they were optimistic words. They were the right ones to say, of course. In Laeynna's opinion, there were very few truly good people and the truth of the matter was, she wasn't compatible with those sorts. There was too much moral reminder about what was right and wrong, and there couldn't be either of those things when it came to necessity.
"They say we do," Laeynna answered her, thinking the question was more rhetorical. But she was smiling, and it was her way of trying to lighten up the atmosphere some. It was the least she could do for what would eventually and inevitably follow. "Although I could be fooled. No looking glass has ever made me look older personally." She did, however, grow a little more serious out of respect before she continued. "I would say I was brash and irrational, too easily stirred by passions and ambitions when I was younger. I'd like to think that I don't possess the same foolishness as I did then. On the other hand, perhaps I will fall victim to Antonidas and his caution. I pray for a more glorious end. If not glorious, then only after I have left my mark on the world."
Ties that Blind
Re: Ties that Blind
"A glorious end and leaving your mark? That's what you want from life?" Redgrave's tone was gentle and curious, without judgment. She took a quiet, thoughtful bite of the bread in front of her finally, then placed it down on her lap and wrapped it back in the paper. She reached into her basket for one of the two wine glasses nestled under the bread. She took the bottle in her other hand, and stared at it, watching closely as the cork inched itself from the neck of the bottle then fell gently back into the basket. She poured, then handed the glass carefully to Laeynna, before pouring the second glass for herself with a little more gusto and immediately taking a long sip, neglecting to do any savouring.
Redgrave leaned back on the bench then with her wine in hand, staring up at Antonidas. "Your aunt never spoke like that, but I think she was reaching for a similar goal. She had ambition to her, but it always seemed... personal. She didn't seem to be trying to save the world, only to be better than she was."
Redgrave leaned back on the bench then with her wine in hand, staring up at Antonidas. "Your aunt never spoke like that, but I think she was reaching for a similar goal. She had ambition to her, but it always seemed... personal. She didn't seem to be trying to save the world, only to be better than she was."
"While our enemies remain, peace is not victory." ~Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner
Re: Ties that Blind
Laeynna accepted the glass that Jessalyn offered over to her without really anything in the way of hesitance. Mostly because she was still thinking about what she could do. The wine would be perfect. Potent enough to hide anything she was about to put into it and she could easily put it in both.
When she made mention of her feigned aunt, the dear friend from Regrave's past, she indulged in a deep, long drink, in an attempt to eliminate what could potentially make her an outright suspect. "Maybe there is more that she and I have in common than I thought." She smiled, a bit sheepishly. "I am no world saver. No people saver. Certainly not a prince rushing in. But there are other ways to leave one's touch and influence. If one person is constructively aided by something I've done, I'll consider that a success."
Eying the bread, she had an idea. If she could only get Jessalyn to turn her attention elsewhere. And to leave her glass in the capable hands of one very blonde blood elf. "You know, I'm actually not very good with spread. I was watching you earlier with your own. Could you cut a piece for me, please?"
When she made mention of her feigned aunt, the dear friend from Regrave's past, she indulged in a deep, long drink, in an attempt to eliminate what could potentially make her an outright suspect. "Maybe there is more that she and I have in common than I thought." She smiled, a bit sheepishly. "I am no world saver. No people saver. Certainly not a prince rushing in. But there are other ways to leave one's touch and influence. If one person is constructively aided by something I've done, I'll consider that a success."
Eying the bread, she had an idea. If she could only get Jessalyn to turn her attention elsewhere. And to leave her glass in the capable hands of one very blonde blood elf. "You know, I'm actually not very good with spread. I was watching you earlier with your own. Could you cut a piece for me, please?"
Re: Ties that Blind
It was an odd request, one that suggested a level of nobility so high as to not have to see to one's own food, and that didn't seem right, but Redgrave was lost in nostalgia as she stared up at the statue, and the only unsettling that showed was a pinching of her brow and a darkening of her eyes behind her glasses.
Almost thoughtlessly, Redgrave passed her wine to Laeynna before reaching back into the basket. At the bottom, carefully separated by paper, were other utensils and plates which she gathered onto her lap. She cut some quite thin slices of bread from one of the loaves, some thinner slices of cheese from a hard cheese, and spread some of a softer cheese on one of the pieces of bread. She looked down at the plate as she worked, but while her expression shifted and changed, concern, curiosity, uncertainty, she said nothing of her thoughts. "Haven't spent much time working in kitchens, I take it?" she finally said when she held the plate out to Laeynna.
Almost thoughtlessly, Redgrave passed her wine to Laeynna before reaching back into the basket. At the bottom, carefully separated by paper, were other utensils and plates which she gathered onto her lap. She cut some quite thin slices of bread from one of the loaves, some thinner slices of cheese from a hard cheese, and spread some of a softer cheese on one of the pieces of bread. She looked down at the plate as she worked, but while her expression shifted and changed, concern, curiosity, uncertainty, she said nothing of her thoughts. "Haven't spent much time working in kitchens, I take it?" she finally said when she held the plate out to Laeynna.
"While our enemies remain, peace is not victory." ~Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner
Re: Ties that Blind
Laeynna was certain she would have considered a different plan if Jessalyn had turned her down. It was a bit of a pleasant surprise when she didn't, though her observance took note of the reaction. Suspicion. To be expected. Laeynna figured she could find a way to spin that into her favour, however. At least, she had to try.
As Jessalyn busied herself, Laeynna set her own glass down to her right, opposite of the picnic Jessalyn had obtained for them both. In much the way as her companion did, so too did Laeynna follow in suit, finding her words and explanation while her free hand found way into her satchel to withdraw one of the vials she'd stowed away.
"When I was young, my parents didn't much trust me in the kitchen," Laeynna admitted, finding there was more truth than fiction. Removing the lid to her vial, she emptied the contents into her own wine glass, praying that what she was about to do would not wind up killing her in addition to Jessalyn. (Although the fact remained that she could be discovered in her assassination attempt and Laeynna might have been the only one to die.) "Growing older, they did. Cutting things like bread and cheese, I could never really do it straight. Something about the weight I put into the knife or that I wasn't holding it properly. When it's just me, it doesn't matter if I'm cutting something crooked."
Stashing her vial away as inconspicuously as it had been for her to retrieve it initially, Laeynna reclaimed her own glass and compared the level of its contents with Jessalyn's. "You've already found out I'm quite possibly hopeless to be a magistrix. It would have been embarrassing if you found out I was hopeless with bread and cheese, too," she laughed a little as she levelled out their glasses, so they matched in contents.
Tilting her head as she eyed Jessalyn, her face relaxed into a genuine smile. "Unless you find that sort of thing charming."
As Jessalyn busied herself, Laeynna set her own glass down to her right, opposite of the picnic Jessalyn had obtained for them both. In much the way as her companion did, so too did Laeynna follow in suit, finding her words and explanation while her free hand found way into her satchel to withdraw one of the vials she'd stowed away.
"When I was young, my parents didn't much trust me in the kitchen," Laeynna admitted, finding there was more truth than fiction. Removing the lid to her vial, she emptied the contents into her own wine glass, praying that what she was about to do would not wind up killing her in addition to Jessalyn. (Although the fact remained that she could be discovered in her assassination attempt and Laeynna might have been the only one to die.) "Growing older, they did. Cutting things like bread and cheese, I could never really do it straight. Something about the weight I put into the knife or that I wasn't holding it properly. When it's just me, it doesn't matter if I'm cutting something crooked."
Stashing her vial away as inconspicuously as it had been for her to retrieve it initially, Laeynna reclaimed her own glass and compared the level of its contents with Jessalyn's. "You've already found out I'm quite possibly hopeless to be a magistrix. It would have been embarrassing if you found out I was hopeless with bread and cheese, too," she laughed a little as she levelled out their glasses, so they matched in contents.
Tilting her head as she eyed Jessalyn, her face relaxed into a genuine smile. "Unless you find that sort of thing charming."
Re: Ties that Blind
Redgrave didn't return the smile. "I haven't had the time to find much charming for years. Keeping Dalaran and the Kirin Tor from fragmenting down faction lines is a lot of work. I'm certainly not in it alone, but spending all hours of the day trying to keep grown adults with the grudges of petty children from killing each other when they all have the power to destroy cities with their thoughts, such things take their toll."
She took up the bread she had taken a bite of, and as she spoke, she began to prepare it more in earnest as she had done for what she had handed to Laeynna. "Losing your aunt was... We lost a lot of good people to the Scourge, a lot of our best. To elves, perhaps, it doesn't seem so long ago, but to me, it seems very distant, and for you to come to me now with these memories... Coincidence, yes, but you study arcane networks long enough, the chaos and dynamics, you start to lose your belief in coincidence. I'm trying to find the connections that sent you here now, at this time, but without an incentive of yours to join us, there are too many blanks in what I know to make the explanation."
She took up the bread she had taken a bite of, and as she spoke, she began to prepare it more in earnest as she had done for what she had handed to Laeynna. "Losing your aunt was... We lost a lot of good people to the Scourge, a lot of our best. To elves, perhaps, it doesn't seem so long ago, but to me, it seems very distant, and for you to come to me now with these memories... Coincidence, yes, but you study arcane networks long enough, the chaos and dynamics, you start to lose your belief in coincidence. I'm trying to find the connections that sent you here now, at this time, but without an incentive of yours to join us, there are too many blanks in what I know to make the explanation."
"While our enemies remain, peace is not victory." ~Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner
Re: Ties that Blind
Laeynna nodded slowly. She had never been in a position like it, but she imagined in any kind of leadership role, it was bound to eventually take toll on someone. Not even people like Redgrave, evidently, were immune to such side-effects. Bureaucracy was certainly its own type of headache, after all.
"That is understandable," she agreed, though a bit more quiet and respectfully. "It is more likely than many people do not truly understand the weight that you carry or what comes with it. As such, the same people will never be giving the recognition you, and others like you, truly deserve." Not that she was about to apologise for them. Laeynna could only control herself and objectively, she could understand a need for acknowledgement at the very least.
Although, she tried hard not to think about what that implied when it came to members of the Kirin Tor.
Accepting the piece of bread when Jessalyn offered it to her, she listened attentively. She was right in many points. The war with the Scourge (or rather, invasion) did not feel so long before, though Laeynna knew it was longer than it seemed to be. As her companion continued, Laeynna offered her glass of wine back over to her and mulled over the concept of predestination and other ideals. Like fate. Fel, did Laeynna loathe the concept of fate. Trying to give reason to things that happened just seemed... stupid. But she didn't dare say that.
"Do you think it was destined then, for us to meet?" she asked, feigning a naivety and an innocence along with it. "That... seems like a very profound concept. I do not think I am special enough to have that kind of importance, my lady."
"That is understandable," she agreed, though a bit more quiet and respectfully. "It is more likely than many people do not truly understand the weight that you carry or what comes with it. As such, the same people will never be giving the recognition you, and others like you, truly deserve." Not that she was about to apologise for them. Laeynna could only control herself and objectively, she could understand a need for acknowledgement at the very least.
Although, she tried hard not to think about what that implied when it came to members of the Kirin Tor.
Accepting the piece of bread when Jessalyn offered it to her, she listened attentively. She was right in many points. The war with the Scourge (or rather, invasion) did not feel so long before, though Laeynna knew it was longer than it seemed to be. As her companion continued, Laeynna offered her glass of wine back over to her and mulled over the concept of predestination and other ideals. Like fate. Fel, did Laeynna loathe the concept of fate. Trying to give reason to things that happened just seemed... stupid. But she didn't dare say that.
"Do you think it was destined then, for us to meet?" she asked, feigning a naivety and an innocence along with it. "That... seems like a very profound concept. I do not think I am special enough to have that kind of importance, my lady."
Re: Ties that Blind
Redgrave chuckled, but the sound lacked humor. "No, not destiny. Fate is a fiction. It is a matter of mathematics, but not a simple matter. When the system gets large enough, it's impossible to account for every equation, but usually a path of logic can be found with sufficient evidence. For you and your appearance at this moment, I do not have enough evidence to understand it. Yet."
She took the glass and stared at the wine inside it. When she took a sip, there was an air of defeat about her. "You said you want a glorious end and to leave your mark. Perhaps that was merely a contextual comment, but do you think coming to me with old memories serves those goals?"
She took the glass and stared at the wine inside it. When she took a sip, there was an air of defeat about her. "You said you want a glorious end and to leave your mark. Perhaps that was merely a contextual comment, but do you think coming to me with old memories serves those goals?"
"While our enemies remain, peace is not victory." ~Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner
Re: Ties that Blind
Fate was fiction and she was using mathematics. Laeynna could only stare at Jessalyn for some moments, as if she was trying to wrap her mind around a concept that was altogether far more than she felt she was equipped at comprehending. While tutored for a portion of her short-lived adolescence, it wouldn't have been enough to be impressive on any terms. She knew how to carry herself properly and she knew the history of her people. She knew who was considered 'good' and 'bad' in the most black and white sense.
That was about it.
She'd never considered that one could calculate connections between beings at various points in time and place. A younger, more naive Laeynna might have said that such analysis ruined the 'magic' of crossed paths. In the present, she had no idea what to begin thinking, as it seemed a concept much larger than her. And she was quite a selfish person, oft incapable of peering past herself.
Not unlike her companion, she indulged in her glass as she contemplated how to answer. Then, she nodded, though it was subtle. "That is certainly not impossible. I did not come to you thinking it, but as you lay it out before me like so, it almost does seem like puzzle pieces fitting together rather perfectly." Laeynna could not help thinking that they were two completely different puzzles that just so happened to fit. Coincidence, that.
That was about it.
She'd never considered that one could calculate connections between beings at various points in time and place. A younger, more naive Laeynna might have said that such analysis ruined the 'magic' of crossed paths. In the present, she had no idea what to begin thinking, as it seemed a concept much larger than her. And she was quite a selfish person, oft incapable of peering past herself.
Not unlike her companion, she indulged in her glass as she contemplated how to answer. Then, she nodded, though it was subtle. "That is certainly not impossible. I did not come to you thinking it, but as you lay it out before me like so, it almost does seem like puzzle pieces fitting together rather perfectly." Laeynna could not help thinking that they were two completely different puzzles that just so happened to fit. Coincidence, that.
Re: Ties that Blind
Redgrave set the plate she had on her lap back in the basket, letting the food slip haphazardly to the bottom. She continued drinking her wine and looking up at Antonidas' stone image. She shook her head.
"Rani Goldheart, you said. Went through your mother's things some time after her death. Found items belonging to your aunt, containing mention of me, and you sought me out, ostensibly to... what? Return them? They were never mine." Redgrave recited as though making a list. "To return to me not the items, but my memories, without considering whether or not I had ever lost them or would actually want them returned. Yet the items served their purpose, and I have remembered times that yes, I wish I could retrieve, making me predisposed to judge you fairly. But then you want nothing from me beyond words? Have you had your words then? Your words and your--"
She stopped midsentence, a look of concern on her face. She stared down at the glass of wine in her hand. "Ah. I see," the human woman said quietly, then glanced around the park, but nothing had changed. There was no one else nearby.
"Rani Goldheart, you said. Went through your mother's things some time after her death. Found items belonging to your aunt, containing mention of me, and you sought me out, ostensibly to... what? Return them? They were never mine." Redgrave recited as though making a list. "To return to me not the items, but my memories, without considering whether or not I had ever lost them or would actually want them returned. Yet the items served their purpose, and I have remembered times that yes, I wish I could retrieve, making me predisposed to judge you fairly. But then you want nothing from me beyond words? Have you had your words then? Your words and your--"
She stopped midsentence, a look of concern on her face. She stared down at the glass of wine in her hand. "Ah. I see," the human woman said quietly, then glanced around the park, but nothing had changed. There was no one else nearby.
"While our enemies remain, peace is not victory." ~Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner
Re: Ties that Blind
Watching Jessalyn for many moments, Laeynna said nothing initially. She watched as her gaze moved onto her wine glass.
Have you put things together, she wondered. Will I fade here and now? If so, Qabian agreed to put my remains with Zalla. Some consideration and she cast her gaze to the sky, though it seemed less likely that a spirit lived on and more that bodies simply rotted in the ground if they weren't made into Forsaken. Sister, I may be joining you shortly.
She took in a long drink. "Objectively speaking, I've said that before, it was what I thought was the right thing to do. You... aren't wrong, however. I didn't think about whether you'd even want those memories or not. In that respect, I suppose it was unfair of me." Resting the rim of her glass at her lips, she issued a soft sigh before she found the remainder of her words. "Naive, I mean, might be a better word for it."
Have you put things together, she wondered. Will I fade here and now? If so, Qabian agreed to put my remains with Zalla. Some consideration and she cast her gaze to the sky, though it seemed less likely that a spirit lived on and more that bodies simply rotted in the ground if they weren't made into Forsaken. Sister, I may be joining you shortly.
She took in a long drink. "Objectively speaking, I've said that before, it was what I thought was the right thing to do. You... aren't wrong, however. I didn't think about whether you'd even want those memories or not. In that respect, I suppose it was unfair of me." Resting the rim of her glass at her lips, she issued a soft sigh before she found the remainder of her words. "Naive, I mean, might be a better word for it."
Re: Ties that Blind
"I've never been a particularly trusting person," Redgrave said, spinning the stem of the glass in her fingers as she examined it again. "It's served me well enough in my work to always be wary, but it seems Noraline's influence over me was stronger than I thought. So now I have a better understanding of your path, but am now presented with more questions." She placed the wine glass down on the bench and began to roll up her sleeves. "Why? Who sent you? Silvermoon? And for what purpose? To weaken our neutrality? That has been tried so many times."
"While our enemies remain, peace is not victory." ~Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner
Re: Ties that Blind
Ah. She knew.
The curious thing was that Jessalyn did not immediately call for guards. Not... that there was anyone in the immediate area. Still, there was a degree of audacity in Laeynna to even do that so publicly. And to drink from her own glass as though it was nothing when hers held the very same contents. Even more so, that she continued to do so after Jessalyn had already known the trap she sat in.
"I am not at liberty to give the details," Laeynna continued, as though she was holding conversation with an old friend. "The Kirin Tor's neutrality is likely to be tested time and time again. Not simply by me. Not simply by others. For as long as you breathe and even after you have held your last, that neutrality will face adversity."
Holding her glass in her lap, she looked over to Jessalyn, not quite filled with shame or remorse, but not particularly easy to read either. If anything, the truth of it was that Laeynna felt remarkably detached from the situation. As if it wasn't her doing it at all, though she was quite there in the flesh.
"I am not asking you to forgive me," she continued. "And you are free to abhor me if that is your desire. Regardless of what my end intentions were, the beginning ones remain. I possess some honour."
The curious thing was that Jessalyn did not immediately call for guards. Not... that there was anyone in the immediate area. Still, there was a degree of audacity in Laeynna to even do that so publicly. And to drink from her own glass as though it was nothing when hers held the very same contents. Even more so, that she continued to do so after Jessalyn had already known the trap she sat in.
"I am not at liberty to give the details," Laeynna continued, as though she was holding conversation with an old friend. "The Kirin Tor's neutrality is likely to be tested time and time again. Not simply by me. Not simply by others. For as long as you breathe and even after you have held your last, that neutrality will face adversity."
Holding her glass in her lap, she looked over to Jessalyn, not quite filled with shame or remorse, but not particularly easy to read either. If anything, the truth of it was that Laeynna felt remarkably detached from the situation. As if it wasn't her doing it at all, though she was quite there in the flesh.
"I am not asking you to forgive me," she continued. "And you are free to abhor me if that is your desire. Regardless of what my end intentions were, the beginning ones remain. I possess some honour."
Re: Ties that Blind
"Beginning? Honour? Not at liberty?" Redgrave's voice went up in pitch and volume with each word, finally provoked to a reaction beyond curiosity and confusion. "Girl, this is not your city. You don't belong here. Do you really think you'll walk away from this?" She put one hand on the bench beside where she sat and the other on the top of its back in what could have been a casual arm-draping gesture, but as soon as her palms touched the seat's surface, jagged ice snapped across it in all directions, spreading from her hands. The woman's face showed rage, but her already pale skin turned grey even as she cast the spell.
"While our enemies remain, peace is not victory." ~Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner
Re: Ties that Blind
Abort? Abort.
Although the plan had already been laid and hatched. It would only be time that told Laeynna if she would succeed or not. As it were, it seemed time was no longer on her side.
The words that came from Jessalyn's lips and the pitch with which she said them was already signal enough that Laeynna was smarter to put space between them. Where she ordinarily might have put her wine glass down carefully and excused herself, she had no such luxury here. As she moved, her glass fell from her hands, slipped right through her distracted grasp, and shattered once it hit the ground.
Laeynna wasn't familiar with arcane magic. Not personally. She knew some of the skills and knew roughly what arcanists studied, and that was the extent of her knowledge. Chances were there was nothing good out of trying to appeal to Jessalyn's good side now. After all, good seemed to leave the equation once death entered the picture. Or attempted assassination, in the present case.
"It would have been arrogant of me to assume I would simply walk out, as it were," she finally managed to find the words to speak.
Stupid, stupid. It's always words I use. I don't have as much in my arsenal as I wish I did, she thought with the hint of a frown in her features.
It would be suicide to summon a demon, wouldn't it? But it was also nearing a last resort. A felhound could serve as a good distraction. And it would keep Jessalyn from momentarily casting anything else. A distraction until... what? Laeynna supposed she could call her proto drake. And then go where?
She could have thought it all out better.
Although the plan had already been laid and hatched. It would only be time that told Laeynna if she would succeed or not. As it were, it seemed time was no longer on her side.
The words that came from Jessalyn's lips and the pitch with which she said them was already signal enough that Laeynna was smarter to put space between them. Where she ordinarily might have put her wine glass down carefully and excused herself, she had no such luxury here. As she moved, her glass fell from her hands, slipped right through her distracted grasp, and shattered once it hit the ground.
Laeynna wasn't familiar with arcane magic. Not personally. She knew some of the skills and knew roughly what arcanists studied, and that was the extent of her knowledge. Chances were there was nothing good out of trying to appeal to Jessalyn's good side now. After all, good seemed to leave the equation once death entered the picture. Or attempted assassination, in the present case.
"It would have been arrogant of me to assume I would simply walk out, as it were," she finally managed to find the words to speak.
Stupid, stupid. It's always words I use. I don't have as much in my arsenal as I wish I did, she thought with the hint of a frown in her features.
It would be suicide to summon a demon, wouldn't it? But it was also nearing a last resort. A felhound could serve as a good distraction. And it would keep Jessalyn from momentarily casting anything else. A distraction until... what? Laeynna supposed she could call her proto drake. And then go where?
She could have thought it all out better.