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The Core Worlds is a part of 
New Hadden.
5 Characters Here
Matthias Rueger [15]
Ilsa Reinhardt [14] Belkan who works for the Landwachter and side-by-side with Matthias Rueger.
Savana [8]
Samhain [0] The seventh Shadow. An overdressed shadow with a sense of ire and humour.
Start Character Here »
Liese remained rather quiet through the ordeal, nodding her head in affirmation at Linde's speech, more keen to watch than to act for the moment. Kampf, meanwhile, continued with his conversation. "But of course, to discount one would be to discredit the other." He placed his hands together in his lap idly, looking rather pleased with the affair, "The Redwing line has genetics that many would kill for... but, enough of that, you work charity, for the commoners? An odd choice, considering your family's prestige." His gaze resting on Linde once he'd finished.
Her eyes narrowed for perhaps a split presence. Were he not the emperor, she would have struck him for belittling her work. "My Lord, are not the commoners your children too? Thus to serve a commoner, is to serve you." She said simply, keeping the acid out of her voice with the ease of long practice. Hopefully, she had not overstepped her bounds.
Josef nodded, bowing his head slightly as she spoke, though it was her actions which warranted his own. Her spirit was most admirable, and her belief vindictive, quite respectable qualities, not to mention outspoken. She had much more tongue than her sister. "Forgive me, lady Sieglinde, I meant no disrespect." He lifted his gaze from her to a brief shot to Liese before returning it, "Your delicacy belies your heart." It simply wasn't good policy to offend guests, especially one who had no oath of service, unlike the one who sat directly across from him, clad in her jet tunic, who was beginning to eye the scene rather oddly.
Linde sat back, and glanced to her sister, gauging the woman's reaction to the repartee. Hm. Not something that wouldn't get her possibly scolded in private later. "Thank you, my Lord, but I am afraid I owe you an apology. I should not speak so to you." She may have no oath of service, but she believed in Kampfism so firmly, had been reared in it so religiously, that she was surprised he had not struck her down for her tongue.
Liese's reaction to the entire situation was rather nonchalant, at least physically. She didn't move from her rested position, legs crossed under the table with either hand resting on the arms of the chair. It was only her eyes which spoke, and they were still trying to ascertain the situation, even when they glanced to Linde in response.
Kampf, meanwhile, raised a palm rather gently, as if in a calming manner, and he did his best to explain, "One that I cannot accept. My tongue was the one out of line, as you are a guest in my house and I should not have spoken of your gracious nature so idly." He then smiled, hoping to defuse the situation, "Nor should your spirit. It's quite commendable."
Kampf, meanwhile, raised a palm rather gently, as if in a calming manner, and he did his best to explain, "One that I cannot accept. My tongue was the one out of line, as you are a guest in my house and I should not have spoken of your gracious nature so idly." He then smiled, hoping to defuse the situation, "Nor should your spirit. It's quite commendable."
"I. My Lord!" She protested, eyes wide, and glanced to her sister, before speaking slowly, not entirely certain. "Please, I cannot. It's improper." She murmured and shook her head Call the Emperor by his first name. She hesitated to even think the thought! Besides which, not even her sister, by all accounts, the Emperor's right hand, would speak his name.
She passed the test! Even with flattery she maintained her dignity and manners, "I would argue the precise opposite, Sieglinde, though it's not to discredit you etiquette." He offered, raising his hand in an act of explanation, as if presenting some invisible object, "You have been raised from birth to believe, yes? I know Liese was, so I assume such extends to you." He figured something like this would happen, and he thought on his feet as to best counter her point, "You, both of you I should say, have known me your entire lives, I'm the one truly meeting you. If anyone at this table should be using titles, it's I." He pointed back to himself as he finished with that, emphasizing it, "Besides," he added, shifting his gaze between the two of them as he did, "What's the good in having a name if no one uses it besides fat priests and combat chaplains?"
That caused her to giggle. Fat priests and combat chaplains indeed. "Well, our brother has been gaining some pounds since becoming a priest." She said with a smile. "And yes, we both have. The Redwings are a devout and pious family." she seemed proud of this. "If you truly wish my Lord, I may be able to bring myself to utter your name." Though she would still use titles more than his name. "If, of course, my sister believes it appropriate. I defer to her judgement in this unusual case."
There. Now Liese could hardly scold her later.
There. Now Liese could hardly scold her later.
Liese looked to Kampf for a moment, who didn't seem to mind, judging from his expression, in the slightest, and shot a glance to Linde. She acted much the same as Kampf, though inside she held doubts. It was up to her baby sister just what to do with things. "Do as you wish, considering our lord has given his permission." Liese looked again to the Emperor, offering a slight bow of her head, before leaning over to her sister, whispering, "Not everyone gets this chance, Linde."
Kampf held his smile, matching the younger Redwing's as best he could, "It wouldn't hurt me," he paused, looking down at his small swath of the table, chuckling, "to finally have a pretty woman call me by name." He was being honest there, somewhat. It literally had been centuries since a woman had spoken to him in such a manner, not since that Coalition assassin on the train to Dinsmärk...
Oh Dinsmärk! How he longed to walk its streets again, to feel the kiss of Scatterran air upon his skin once more. His face changed with this, his eyes, for a moment, taking on a distant look, though he soon bore again his rather jovial expression. He was the only one still alive in the Hegemony who remembered those days, who remembered their home...
Kampf held his smile, matching the younger Redwing's as best he could, "It wouldn't hurt me," he paused, looking down at his small swath of the table, chuckling, "to finally have a pretty woman call me by name." He was being honest there, somewhat. It literally had been centuries since a woman had spoken to him in such a manner, not since that Coalition assassin on the train to Dinsmärk...
Oh Dinsmärk! How he longed to walk its streets again, to feel the kiss of Scatterran air upon his skin once more. His face changed with this, his eyes, for a moment, taking on a distant look, though he soon bore again his rather jovial expression. He was the only one still alive in the Hegemony who remembered those days, who remembered their home...
She didn't need Liese to tell her that, and she wrinkled her nose at her sister, before turning to face the Emperor once more. "Then I would be honored to call you by your name, Josef." Seh said, though she had paused just before saying it, not certain if she could deliver calmly. Well, she managed not to squeak, which said something. He was a kind man, and certainly full of compliments. If she didn't know better, she would think the emperor was flirting with her. But the emperor! No, he wouldn't flirt with her. She was a noble, yes, but she was not good enough to be of interest to the emperor.
He had a look on his face, of remembering, though it had been brief. "My L- Josef, what were you thinking of, just a second ago? I would love to hear?"
He had a look on his face, of remembering, though it had been brief. "My L- Josef, what were you thinking of, just a second ago? I would love to hear?"
He pondered for a moment, returning his eyes to his bright guest, trying to figure our how he would describe it. It was something that few people, as far as he knew, really understood. He was the only one left who could remember walking on Scatterran soil, at least the only one who still had a body. "Of Belka, Sieglinde." The holy land, Belka, such a place that now existed only in the lore of the faith and in the imaginations of the faithful and the young. "Of home."
The more he spoke on the matter, the more distant he seemed to become, a tear beginning to well up in his eyes before he wiped it away, regaining his composure. "I'm terribly sorry. That was rather rude of me, Sieglinde, please pardon my nostalgia."
The more he spoke on the matter, the more distant he seemed to become, a tear beginning to well up in his eyes before he wiped it away, regaining his composure. "I'm terribly sorry. That was rather rude of me, Sieglinde, please pardon my nostalgia."
Belka. She smiled at that and dared, though only just, to placed a hand over his. "Please, I understand. I have not been away from my home for nearly as long, much less all of our Home. You recall out holy land, Josef, and all else only know it through stories. You have a right to miss it." she assured him, longing for her own home, to tell the truth. Oh she had begged and pleaded to be allowed here of course, but she hadn't expected the trip to be so long or lonely. It was relieving she had Liese close, so that home felt a little closer. The two sisters were hardly close, but at least they were family.
Her hand gently found itself on his and his smile returned with this, looking to her with a pleasant expression, "Your heart knows no bounds, Sieglinde." At this, he placed his other hand over top of hers, silently thanking her for her empathy. The act lingered for a moment before it was broken by the attendants returning, bearing several dishes. Among them a roasted ham - actual ham, not the byproduct from the processing plants - a platter of Zweibelkuchen, some steamed vegetables accompanied the ever present staple Spaetzle.
Kampf, for all of his Imperial trappings and nobility, couldn't escape the fact that he liked the working man's dish.
Gesturing towards his attendants, he spoke more to his guest than his lieutenant as he announced, "Simply state what you wish, they'll be happy to get it to you." He would wait though, no need for him to be hasty. There were more interesting things at the table, anyway.
Kampf, for all of his Imperial trappings and nobility, couldn't escape the fact that he liked the working man's dish.
Gesturing towards his attendants, he spoke more to his guest than his lieutenant as he announced, "Simply state what you wish, they'll be happy to get it to you." He would wait though, no need for him to be hasty. There were more interesting things at the table, anyway.
Linde smiled to the attendants graciously, sensing she was being allowed to go first. "The ham, the vegetables, and the zweibelkuchan, please." She said and spoke again. "Though not in large portions. I'm afraid my appetite is not as hearty as a soldiers." She sat back as they provided her with the food as asked, in smaller potions. They even spaced it just so, and the plate seemed full. How lovely! His attendants were clearly well trained.
Liese simply ordered a slice of ham, for the moment, being as how she preferred to take things in steps rather than all at once. It was a pleasure being able to savor any such meal, especially after eating some of the rations she was issued in the line of duty. By the Emperor, some of it was just...
Kampf chose a rather basic selection of the ham, spaetzle and vegetables, waiting once everything had been set down and for the others to begin before he took a bite. Good, as always, the recipes were old, yes, but they were still quite good. He was distracted from his food, however, by his company and, with a pat of his mouth with his napkin, he decided to speak again, "I know this might seem an odd question, but my thoughts of Scatter piqued my curiosity... are you familiar with any classical literature?" Within the Hegemony, the term 'classical' generally referred to the time before the Exodus, before what they considered to be the dark ages and the rebirth of the Belko-Azrik people.
Kampf chose a rather basic selection of the ham, spaetzle and vegetables, waiting once everything had been set down and for the others to begin before he took a bite. Good, as always, the recipes were old, yes, but they were still quite good. He was distracted from his food, however, by his company and, with a pat of his mouth with his napkin, he decided to speak again, "I know this might seem an odd question, but my thoughts of Scatter piqued my curiosity... are you familiar with any classical literature?" Within the Hegemony, the term 'classical' generally referred to the time before the Exodus, before what they considered to be the dark ages and the rebirth of the Belko-Azrik people.
Kampf leaned over, his head tilting slightly in curiosity, finding it rather convenient that she also held such a love for classical material. Given, such a thing probably resounded with him more than anyone else, and it contributed largely to his response, "I would concur with you. I often have a good deal of time to spend mulling over works that, regrettably, I never ventured to read while I was on Scatter. Like all of our society, is is the posterity of that which came before. But, I must ask," He grinned at this, rather excited, "What is your favorite, Sieglinde? It seems that your parents knew of mine..."
Kampf nodded, it had been some time since he had read it, though he did recall the story. He always did prefer things written before the exodus, less emphasis on him, more thing about it seeming... Scatterran. "They were rather risque, weren't they? I did enjoy it when I picked it up, I found it a refreshing change from all the conflict and struggle so present in our literary heritage." He mused further, "While that's an excellent backdrop, and theme, for many a story, there are many issues and themes than can be explored, at the least elsewhere, if not exclusively with a romantic tone." He really had too much time on his hands, but he was happy to have someone he could discuss such things with, who wasn't too preoccupied with believing he was a God.
It was like speaking to Wing. A Scatterran Wing.
He waved down an attendant, whispering something to him before he soon stepped off, Kampf apologizing for the interruption as he finished, eager to continue, "Pardon me, but, it makes me wonder, what era do you take a liking to? I know that I have a thing for the Old Empire, before my father's time..."
It was like speaking to Wing. A Scatterran Wing.
He waved down an attendant, whispering something to him before he soon stepped off, Kampf apologizing for the interruption as he finished, eager to continue, "Pardon me, but, it makes me wonder, what era do you take a liking to? I know that I have a thing for the Old Empire, before my father's time..."
“Well, my tastes don't range quite so far back!” She admitted, then gave him a wink. “They go backa bit farther. It's harder to find books from that far back though, so I also like books from around your father's time, but before his rise.” She shrugged. “You can almost sense the beginning in them. Almost feel that which spurred out ancestors on.” she closed her eyes, remembering scenes and stories from books.
“Ah. They're all so amazing. Hard to find a good variety though, to my sorrow.” Getting older books wasn't exactly easy as going to a book store. Her family despaired enough that her reading would leave her needed corrective eye surgery.
“Of course, the family has a collection, but I've already read most of that.” He had been alive so long, he was probably more than familiar with all the older books.
“Ah. They're all so amazing. Hard to find a good variety though, to my sorrow.” Getting older books wasn't exactly easy as going to a book store. Her family despaired enough that her reading would leave her needed corrective eye surgery.
“Of course, the family has a collection, but I've already read most of that.” He had been alive so long, he was probably more than familiar with all the older books.
"It truly speaks to one's soul. Whatever disagreements I had with my father, it's through such works that I've come to understand him a bit better, perhaps even think I know him." He paused, the mention of his father, even by himself, had surprised him. He usually didn't like to speak of him, but this time... well, it was understandable in the context. Especially since they were discussing classical Belka after all.
He picked some more at his food, interested instead with his company, "Sieghilde, remind me, once we're finished, I rarely get the chance to discuss such matters with people that it's reminded me... If it wouldn't interrupt your plans, I'd be delighted to show you my library here."
He picked some more at his food, interested instead with his company, "Sieghilde, remind me, once we're finished, I rarely get the chance to discuss such matters with people that it's reminded me... If it wouldn't interrupt your plans, I'd be delighted to show you my library here."
Have? Have? She had assumed borrow at absolute best, really she had. "Emperor Josef, please. You've honored me so much today already. I could not possibly accept this gift. I am sorry, but I must refuse." She would stay firm on this. Oh how she wanted it, but as he had said, she well knew the value of that book. No, it was not something she could accept in the least.
Though it was hard to refuse her God, she knew she had to.
Though it was hard to refuse her God, she knew she had to.
"Emperor, you have lavished attention and honor on me so far. I am nobility yes, perhaps from one of the purest lines in existence, but I cannot allow even you to continue like this, my Lord Josef. Please forgive me but, it isn't proper in the least, and the only thing I have is propriety." Her voice was tinged with the slightest taste of bitterness. The second born daughter, youngest girl, well aware that as soon as her parents deemed a suitor acceptable she would be married off, Propriety and her reputation was all she really had. All were equal in the empire in theory and in religion, but she well knew her place as a noble lady.
"I am sorry sir, but I believe it may be best if i use today to get settled into my rooms here, rather than go to your library. Please, forgive me." She looked down to her plate, clearly not happy to refuse, but refusing to accept.
"I am sorry sir, but I believe it may be best if i use today to get settled into my rooms here, rather than go to your library. Please, forgive me." She looked down to her plate, clearly not happy to refuse, but refusing to accept.
Linde just knew she has done something wrong, but wasn't certain what it was. Perhaps her family was right and she hadn't been ready for a pilgrimage just yet. She rose however, demurely following her sister, no small confusion evident in her eyes, though her face remained calm and still as ever. Matters to attend to. Matters they hadn't had to attend to before she had decided going on the library trip was a poor idea. That was code for trouble. She knew Liese hardly approved of her, but still. She had behaved perfectly, she was certain.
Linde Redwing was in her set of rooms in front of her vanity, brushign out her hair. Normally worn up, especially in public, she took it down daily to carefully brush her hair out. It was much longer than the severe hair style currently favored made it look. She scowled at the mirror, knowing perfectly well who was to blame for the severe militaristic hairstyle so popular.
"I cannot wait until someone sets something new! Whoever decided Liese's military style was good for the social scene is a fool." She murmured under her breath, then sighed. She was staying at the Redwing house on the planet of course, little used as it apparently was. Liese was lucky to be at the emperor's right hand of course, but it meant that the woman had a room in residence. After that debacle of a dinner, Linde would not stay in residence with the Emperor. She'd only make a fool of herself again.
"I cannot wait until someone sets something new! Whoever decided Liese's military style was good for the social scene is a fool." She murmured under her breath, then sighed. She was staying at the Redwing house on the planet of course, little used as it apparently was. Liese was lucky to be at the emperor's right hand of course, but it meant that the woman had a room in residence. After that debacle of a dinner, Linde would not stay in residence with the Emperor. She'd only make a fool of herself again.
No one had been announced, the servants, not that Liese had many, Linde had been forced to hire a few just to get the basics done, had not let her know, and as a result, Linde thought it must be one of the servant at her door. Hardly suspecting Kampf was there, she continued to brush her hair as she called out. "Come in!"
She kept her eyes on her vanity mirror, her strokes slow and even, not even paying attention to who was in the doorway. "Is there something I'm needed for?" She asked, not expecting so. "Or did the first of the party invitations finally start to arrive." She would have a few days reprieve of course, as a polite and silent remark to her status before she was besieged with invitations. After all, she would only be here a handful of weeks.
She kept her eyes on her vanity mirror, her strokes slow and even, not even paying attention to who was in the doorway. "Is there something I'm needed for?" She asked, not expecting so. "Or did the first of the party invitations finally start to arrive." She would have a few days reprieve of course, as a polite and silent remark to her status before she was besieged with invitations. After all, she would only be here a handful of weeks.
Kampf took the invitation as it arose, walking as quietly as his hobnailed boots would allow, and as he swung the door opened he was rather surprised. As beautiful as she was at dinner, she seemed more radiant now, perhaps that she didn't care who saw her. He sighed softly as he came to a stand-still, looking about the room for only a moment before he returned his eyes to her. He wanted to smile, but that would ruin what it was he had to say. "There is one thing..." He spoke, even lessened his bass voice proving to be rather unique, "... I believe I owe you an apology."
It was odd. He hadn't apologized to anyone in... at least five centuries. How strange this felt!
It was odd. He hadn't apologized to anyone in... at least five centuries. How strange this felt!