percivalthegale (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
percivalthegale) wrote2009-02-27 11:58 pm
percivalthegale) wrote2009-02-27 11:58 pm
Prose log with Salome
Who: Percival and Salome (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
harassed_sal)
When: Friday
Where: Salome's room/office
What: Percival seeks advice and permission
An extra week of lounging about the castle, generally staying out of trouble, didn't quite erase Percival's decisions from his mind. He knew he needed to talk to his superiors, and by now was practically craving advice. At least he was relaxed now, and not fretting so much. He approached Salome's door and paused for a deep breath before knocking.
Salome opened the door, an unusual reaction as he typically summoned visitors to enter without leaving his own chair. His bowl cut hair was disheveled, his bangs plastered to his forehead, and he was out of his armor and in a light cotton coat. "Percival--I cannot say I am surprised to see you, but I apologize for my sorry state. I am not accustomed to the steady temperature increase."
Percival blinked in surprise. "O-oh...Lord Salome. It's all right. Goodness, I know we were all probably unprepared but this..." He stifled a bit of a smile. "Do you have a moment, sir? I would like to speak with you about a few things."
"Of course, of course. Please, don't stand in the hallway, I have plenty of chairs," he motioned Percival into the room and over to a comfortable chair before sitting across from him.
Making sure the door was closed behind them, Percival took his seat and settled in with his hands resting on his knees. He was out of armor himself, having spent most of the week in casual clothing while lounging about. "Er, for the record, this isn't about the current situation, sir," he began. "I know it's tense but that isn't what's on my mind."
Salome folded his hands, but his calm gesture was betrayed by an invisible eyebrow raise. "I will be entirely honest when I say that I had little doubt that the current situation would be the first thing you wished to speak to me about. But regardless, you have my ears."
Percival lowered his dark eyes slightly. "I know last spring I asked to be stationed here, to serve you and Lady Chris directly, and you were gracious to grant me that. But since then, I...I have been unsure of my authority. I don't know just how much I should be doing, what my duty ought to be while I'm here." He sighed lightly. "But my trip away confirmed that I have no desire to be sent back to Brass Castle, either."
"Do you wish for more responsibility? For your responsibilities to be alleviated? As of right now, I seek only to help enforce the rules of Budehuc and support Thomas in any way he sees fit."
"I want to feel as though I'm useful, that I'm not just a figurehead in polished armor giving the appearance of authority while having none." Percival raised his head, then. "I had an idea. While I was riding back from the Great Hollow. Would it be possible for me to retain my full position as a Zexen Knight, and at the same time...join the castle guard?"
A grin tugged at the corner of the strategist's mouth. "Looking for some extracurricular activities is never something I discourage, Percival. If you wish to help with the castle guard, it certainly will keep you busy... not to mention you will have your eyes and ears all over the castle."
Percival shook his head slightly. "I don't intend for it to be extracurricular. The patrolling I do is purely on my own time, I've never noticed it making much difference whether I was doing it or not. As long as I'm physically here, I may as well be official, and under Lady Cecile's authority. That way, I could actually uphold the local laws, and not have my presence scoffed at by outsiders." The last bit was said with a little bit of a pout to his voice.
"Scoffed, eh? Not very many men would have the gall to scoff at the Swordsman of Gale."
"More than one here," Percival sighed. "I thought I would ask you, because you would know the logistics. If it were possible to serve both Zexen and Budehuc at the same time...to be a guard without having to lay down my title as a Zexen Knight."
"Technically... Budehuc is free trade land and under the jurisdiction of none but itself..." Salome paused, pressing his fingertips together. "I have no qualms with you working for Master Thomas and the guards, if you feel it would do you well. But... if I may pry, what brought about this curious decision?"
Percival looked away for a moment. Salome had always been less a mentor and more a friend to him, since his former captain's death. "You may certainly pry, if I may speak freely," he said. "Salome, I...I've lost a lot of my confidence, and I don't know why. When people ask why I bother to step in, to keep the peace, I have no answer for them. I don't know why I do, other than it's what I've always done."
"Do you feel it is no longer your calling?" he asked, his tone gentle, knowing it was a delicate question. "It is not uncommon for a knight to feel as though he is wandering in times outside of war."
Leave it to Salome to cut to the heart of his doubts, Percival thought to himself. "If it isn't my calling, then I have none," he said sadly. "I've reached my goal, Salome - I can go no higher than where I am now, I have nothing more to acheive in my lifetime. But if I quit...I would miss it. Like before. I would miss it and come back."
"There is no reason why one goal cannot lead to another. You might feel lost right now... I admit I too have felt as though I've been wandering, with little to plan and orchestrate, but it is so much a part of my life." Salome leaned back in his chair, studying Percival's expression.
Percival was never the type to hide what he felt, especially in the presence of a friend. His eyes were downcast and showed every bit of the confusion he had been wrestling with lately. "I want to be useful. I want to have a reason to get up in the morning, besides grooming Midnight. Joining the castle guard was the first idea I had...though if you somehow magically have another," he added wryly, "I would listen."
"Unless you wish to dust the statues in the hall, I think it would do you some good. There is something meditative about a routine patrol... not only do you become closer to nature, but it gives you a moment's reprieve to turn inside yourself and your mind." A long, routine walk about the grounds would certainly do Percival good, and Salome hoped that he'd find peace in the solitude with a renewed sense of self.
"Ah, no," Percival chuckled lightly, "dusting statues is not my calling. That much I can say for sure." He held Salome's gaze more proudly. "So, it wouldn't negate my knight's title to be simultaneously a guard of Budehuc?"
"Certainly not. If anything, it only further extends your range of duty, if that makes much sense. I only wish Borus took more initiative," he added wryly.
Mentioning Borus naturally made Percival chuckle. "Give him time, he isn't bored yet. Once he's been here a month, he'll get restless, and perhaps I'll drag him along." His face sobered, then. "But this request is mine alone, for my own reasons. I expect Lady Cecile will be all too glad to have another guard around."
"Indeed, I agree she will. You have my blessings, if that is what you wished for. But if you need anything else, or simply someone to speak with, I hope I can ease your concern." Salome paused. "Are you sure there is nothing else on your mind...?"
Percival took another deep breath. "There is a lot on my mind, but I'm not sure I want to burden you with it. I rode away looking for answers...and I didn't get as many as I wanted. But I came away with enough, for now. And paid my respects to Captain Galahad," he added more softly.
The strategist nodded solemnly. "It has been a long time... yet it still feels as though..." the sentence did not need to be finished.
"It does," Percival agreed. "I still have nightmares about that battle, sometimes."
"You are not alone, I assure you. But... please, do let me know if there is anything else I can do for you..." he unfolded his hands. "I do not want you to feel as though you are alone here."
Percival honestly mulled it over for a moment before speaking again. "There's nothing else right now, but...I'll be sure to come to you if there is. Oddly enough, I think having Borus around may be good for me as well." He smiled gently. "It's hard for me at times to admit that I get lonely, since everyone expects me to be the outgoing, charming one with friends around every corner. Thank you, Salome, for understanding."
"Yes, well, people expect me to be a rather somber stick-in-the-mud. I understand that at times, it can be difficult to uphold the expectations of others," Salome smiled. "Please give Borus my regards when you see him next."
"Come now, Salome - you and I have been elbow-to-elbow in the kitchen. I know what you're really like," Percival teased. "And I will, at dinner most likely if he's not getting into trouble already. Then, I suppose I need to go and find Lady Cecile, and offer up my services." He made to get up, but then remembered one other thing. "Ah. As far as the sun goes...do you have any orders at all?" he asked seriously.
"If this is her majesty's idea of a gift to Budehuc... my only true orders at this point is to not give her any reason to bestow a punishment upon us," he responded at last.
"Yes, sir," Percival nodded, finally rising from the chair. "Then, I will go and see Lady Cecile. If anything changes, you will know where to find me." He straightened, and held Salome's gaze a moment longer. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome... please keep me informed if there is anything else I can help you with. In the meantime, I think a cold glass of water would do me well."
"Quite. I think I'll look in on the stables. Goddess knows the horses are glad to be back out in the paddock." Percival rolled his eyes as he turned to go. "And if Midnight rolls in the mud again..."
"Very well then," Salome laughed. "I hope he's up for a good sponging down then, if that is so."
"I would run him through the lake if I could," Percival snorted. "He still has his winter coat, the mud just makes it worse." He opened the door and paused to hold his fist to his chest in a traditional salute. "Thank the Goddess for your level head, Lord Salome."
Salome nodded, trying not to allow his expression to betray how flattering Percival's words were. "Please take care; I will be here filing my papers if you need anything else."
Nodding, Percival let himself out, his heart ten times lighter - and it showed in his step.
harassed_sal)When: Friday
Where: Salome's room/office
What: Percival seeks advice and permission
An extra week of lounging about the castle, generally staying out of trouble, didn't quite erase Percival's decisions from his mind. He knew he needed to talk to his superiors, and by now was practically craving advice. At least he was relaxed now, and not fretting so much. He approached Salome's door and paused for a deep breath before knocking.
Salome opened the door, an unusual reaction as he typically summoned visitors to enter without leaving his own chair. His bowl cut hair was disheveled, his bangs plastered to his forehead, and he was out of his armor and in a light cotton coat. "Percival--I cannot say I am surprised to see you, but I apologize for my sorry state. I am not accustomed to the steady temperature increase."
Percival blinked in surprise. "O-oh...Lord Salome. It's all right. Goodness, I know we were all probably unprepared but this..." He stifled a bit of a smile. "Do you have a moment, sir? I would like to speak with you about a few things."
"Of course, of course. Please, don't stand in the hallway, I have plenty of chairs," he motioned Percival into the room and over to a comfortable chair before sitting across from him.
Making sure the door was closed behind them, Percival took his seat and settled in with his hands resting on his knees. He was out of armor himself, having spent most of the week in casual clothing while lounging about. "Er, for the record, this isn't about the current situation, sir," he began. "I know it's tense but that isn't what's on my mind."
Salome folded his hands, but his calm gesture was betrayed by an invisible eyebrow raise. "I will be entirely honest when I say that I had little doubt that the current situation would be the first thing you wished to speak to me about. But regardless, you have my ears."
Percival lowered his dark eyes slightly. "I know last spring I asked to be stationed here, to serve you and Lady Chris directly, and you were gracious to grant me that. But since then, I...I have been unsure of my authority. I don't know just how much I should be doing, what my duty ought to be while I'm here." He sighed lightly. "But my trip away confirmed that I have no desire to be sent back to Brass Castle, either."
"Do you wish for more responsibility? For your responsibilities to be alleviated? As of right now, I seek only to help enforce the rules of Budehuc and support Thomas in any way he sees fit."
"I want to feel as though I'm useful, that I'm not just a figurehead in polished armor giving the appearance of authority while having none." Percival raised his head, then. "I had an idea. While I was riding back from the Great Hollow. Would it be possible for me to retain my full position as a Zexen Knight, and at the same time...join the castle guard?"
A grin tugged at the corner of the strategist's mouth. "Looking for some extracurricular activities is never something I discourage, Percival. If you wish to help with the castle guard, it certainly will keep you busy... not to mention you will have your eyes and ears all over the castle."
Percival shook his head slightly. "I don't intend for it to be extracurricular. The patrolling I do is purely on my own time, I've never noticed it making much difference whether I was doing it or not. As long as I'm physically here, I may as well be official, and under Lady Cecile's authority. That way, I could actually uphold the local laws, and not have my presence scoffed at by outsiders." The last bit was said with a little bit of a pout to his voice.
"Scoffed, eh? Not very many men would have the gall to scoff at the Swordsman of Gale."
"More than one here," Percival sighed. "I thought I would ask you, because you would know the logistics. If it were possible to serve both Zexen and Budehuc at the same time...to be a guard without having to lay down my title as a Zexen Knight."
"Technically... Budehuc is free trade land and under the jurisdiction of none but itself..." Salome paused, pressing his fingertips together. "I have no qualms with you working for Master Thomas and the guards, if you feel it would do you well. But... if I may pry, what brought about this curious decision?"
Percival looked away for a moment. Salome had always been less a mentor and more a friend to him, since his former captain's death. "You may certainly pry, if I may speak freely," he said. "Salome, I...I've lost a lot of my confidence, and I don't know why. When people ask why I bother to step in, to keep the peace, I have no answer for them. I don't know why I do, other than it's what I've always done."
"Do you feel it is no longer your calling?" he asked, his tone gentle, knowing it was a delicate question. "It is not uncommon for a knight to feel as though he is wandering in times outside of war."
Leave it to Salome to cut to the heart of his doubts, Percival thought to himself. "If it isn't my calling, then I have none," he said sadly. "I've reached my goal, Salome - I can go no higher than where I am now, I have nothing more to acheive in my lifetime. But if I quit...I would miss it. Like before. I would miss it and come back."
"There is no reason why one goal cannot lead to another. You might feel lost right now... I admit I too have felt as though I've been wandering, with little to plan and orchestrate, but it is so much a part of my life." Salome leaned back in his chair, studying Percival's expression.
Percival was never the type to hide what he felt, especially in the presence of a friend. His eyes were downcast and showed every bit of the confusion he had been wrestling with lately. "I want to be useful. I want to have a reason to get up in the morning, besides grooming Midnight. Joining the castle guard was the first idea I had...though if you somehow magically have another," he added wryly, "I would listen."
"Unless you wish to dust the statues in the hall, I think it would do you some good. There is something meditative about a routine patrol... not only do you become closer to nature, but it gives you a moment's reprieve to turn inside yourself and your mind." A long, routine walk about the grounds would certainly do Percival good, and Salome hoped that he'd find peace in the solitude with a renewed sense of self.
"Ah, no," Percival chuckled lightly, "dusting statues is not my calling. That much I can say for sure." He held Salome's gaze more proudly. "So, it wouldn't negate my knight's title to be simultaneously a guard of Budehuc?"
"Certainly not. If anything, it only further extends your range of duty, if that makes much sense. I only wish Borus took more initiative," he added wryly.
Mentioning Borus naturally made Percival chuckle. "Give him time, he isn't bored yet. Once he's been here a month, he'll get restless, and perhaps I'll drag him along." His face sobered, then. "But this request is mine alone, for my own reasons. I expect Lady Cecile will be all too glad to have another guard around."
"Indeed, I agree she will. You have my blessings, if that is what you wished for. But if you need anything else, or simply someone to speak with, I hope I can ease your concern." Salome paused. "Are you sure there is nothing else on your mind...?"
Percival took another deep breath. "There is a lot on my mind, but I'm not sure I want to burden you with it. I rode away looking for answers...and I didn't get as many as I wanted. But I came away with enough, for now. And paid my respects to Captain Galahad," he added more softly.
The strategist nodded solemnly. "It has been a long time... yet it still feels as though..." the sentence did not need to be finished.
"It does," Percival agreed. "I still have nightmares about that battle, sometimes."
"You are not alone, I assure you. But... please, do let me know if there is anything else I can do for you..." he unfolded his hands. "I do not want you to feel as though you are alone here."
Percival honestly mulled it over for a moment before speaking again. "There's nothing else right now, but...I'll be sure to come to you if there is. Oddly enough, I think having Borus around may be good for me as well." He smiled gently. "It's hard for me at times to admit that I get lonely, since everyone expects me to be the outgoing, charming one with friends around every corner. Thank you, Salome, for understanding."
"Yes, well, people expect me to be a rather somber stick-in-the-mud. I understand that at times, it can be difficult to uphold the expectations of others," Salome smiled. "Please give Borus my regards when you see him next."
"Come now, Salome - you and I have been elbow-to-elbow in the kitchen. I know what you're really like," Percival teased. "And I will, at dinner most likely if he's not getting into trouble already. Then, I suppose I need to go and find Lady Cecile, and offer up my services." He made to get up, but then remembered one other thing. "Ah. As far as the sun goes...do you have any orders at all?" he asked seriously.
"If this is her majesty's idea of a gift to Budehuc... my only true orders at this point is to not give her any reason to bestow a punishment upon us," he responded at last.
"Yes, sir," Percival nodded, finally rising from the chair. "Then, I will go and see Lady Cecile. If anything changes, you will know where to find me." He straightened, and held Salome's gaze a moment longer. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome... please keep me informed if there is anything else I can help you with. In the meantime, I think a cold glass of water would do me well."
"Quite. I think I'll look in on the stables. Goddess knows the horses are glad to be back out in the paddock." Percival rolled his eyes as he turned to go. "And if Midnight rolls in the mud again..."
"Very well then," Salome laughed. "I hope he's up for a good sponging down then, if that is so."
"I would run him through the lake if I could," Percival snorted. "He still has his winter coat, the mud just makes it worse." He opened the door and paused to hold his fist to his chest in a traditional salute. "Thank the Goddess for your level head, Lord Salome."
Salome nodded, trying not to allow his expression to betray how flattering Percival's words were. "Please take care; I will be here filing my papers if you need anything else."
Nodding, Percival let himself out, his heart ten times lighter - and it showed in his step.