The Archer and the Fashionista

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"No Pledge." Mhairi repeats grimly. "It's crazy...and I know it's made me more then a little crazy....obviously. It all started when the Spring Crown didn't manifest, and...I should let you know - not because of my feeling about Brown, but because you should know. Summer's Crown didn't manifest either."

It had been more then crazy, she thought to mention that she wanted the Oath back, but she realized she'd already said that. When she'd been ranting about Brown. "Sorry. I shouldn't be doing that. The uh-ranting. It's not really professional....or adult."

A sigh, "This. This is how you join. You and I talk, and if I don't think you're something horrible in disguise you're good to go." The Ashen Wisp looks distinctly uncomfortable. "I'd prefer a Pledge. One to prove you're not a Privateer, or a Loyalist. And one of Fealty....but it seems like I'm in the minority." her fell-flames flicker. Threads of Fear and Paranoia tug and twist. If the Pledge was there, or a new one implemented....everything would be better.

"Alright." Mhairi nods, she didn't accept any help when she killed her Fetch, mostly because she didn't know that she could have asked for aid, but at the time Mhairi doubts she would have asked. She was anger incarnate, all fire in her focus and hunger, with a single-minded intensity she hunted her Fetch. Only stopping when it lay dead.

[Donovan Ackerman]

“So no crown either. So when you say this person's King or your Queen, you ain’t actually Wyrd chosen sovereign.” Yeeaaah. He needed to find his fetch and mom quickly. Kill one and get the other out of here, cause it seemed like the place was an open invitation to the Gentry.

“No, it ain’t,” he replied simply to Mhairi’s next apology for ranting “but we all get a little crazy sometimes.” The sad truth of it. He just hoped she found someway or someone to pull her (and this whole Freehold) back to sanity.

“So, you need my whole life story? References from my old ‘hold?” Other than telling the truth, he wasn’t sure how you were supposed make it seem like you weren’t a bad guy telling lies.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"Last Autumn I made my Oath, and was Crowned by the Wyrd. I pass my Crown to Sasha, Queen of Winter." she says firmly, "Spring....there was no one to be Crowned then, now there is. ingrid's been chosen of their Courtiers, and to my knowledge, one Summer left, the other, Circe is a gun smuggler who'd rather focus on rebuilding what she left behind to come here, so that left Brown to take the reins."

She nods, "Still, I apologize. I'll make sure to not do it again." Maybe she should call Sera and have that dinner. Clearly if she was venting to a stranger she was beyond the need of a friend's shoulder.

"I'm sure a simple Q and A is enough to satisfy some, but not me. Not after everything that's happened. Not with us and Them, not with how hard it is to trust." Mhairi stops fidgeting with her hands, and looks at the Wizened. "Would you Swear a Pledge, that you don't serve Them in any capacity anymore? I will make the same Pledge to you, it would be a small one, lasting only until night fall. We could share Glamour, and know. Without a doubt that the other person in this room is one you can trust."

[Donovan Ackerman]

The Wizened did not look persuaded. Even if the crown did manifest, they wouldn’t really rule anything. It would always be Mhairi. Stupid politics. Although it wasn't like he was swearing fealty to any of them anyway.

But he'd take what he could get and at the Director's suggestion he nodded.

“I swear I ain’t workin’ for the Fair Folk now in anyway; haven’t since escaped; and won’t. Least till sunset.” His half smile held very little mirth. It seemed a very short time to know you could trust someone.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

It really was messed. Mhairi hoped that when Spring came around again that Ingrid would manifest the Crown and the Cycle could be mended properly. Though for Summer....was it wrong to hope that Ramona would return from the Thorns?

"There's no Wyrd to your words." Mhairi says when she doesn't feel the weight of it all press upon her to reply in kind. "Thanks for saying them though."

She looks down, "I asked the same of Brown, on his life, for his life. An Oath saying that he isn't, wasn't and would never be a Traitor to the Lost....I thought that something like that would be reasonable. An Oath like that....it would mean that he was a bastion of hope, the one pillar that is known to never be corrupted by Them again." she looks back up, "I can see how the stakes would be off putting, but I wouldn't have demanded anything I wouldn't have been willing to Swear as well."

She shakes her head, "Would you want to work through the Pledge, offer your opinions to create something that would work for us both?"

[Donovan Ackerman]

“Sorry thought you were sealin’,” he said apologetically “Bit awkward.”

“Still seems pretty straight forward. Don’t lie ‘bout workin’ for Them since escapin’ or wantin’ to in the future. Don’t start workin’ for Them for at least a day. Shouldn't be too hard in either case. Add some glamour to compensate. Get cursed if you break your word ‘fore nightfall. Or breaks immediately if I’m lyin’ or… you’re one of Them.” It wasn’t really an accusation, more of a fact that he’d overlooked.

“Sorry, you do have that look about ya,” he added a few seconds later after belatedly realizing how what he just bluttered out must sound. “But addin’ in ‘knowin’ly workin’ for’ might be a good idea anyway. Case there are any tricky Keepers lurkin’ out there or in my past.”

Mechanics

Tasks (-2): Forbiddance -1 (don’t lie about knowingly working for the Fae in the past after escaping or wanting to in the future); Forbiddance -1 (Don’t knowingly work for the True Fae now)

Boon (+2): Glamour +2

Sanction (-1): Curse -1

Duration (+1): Day +1

[Mhairi Ankaa]

Mhairi blinks, then nod, "I do. You're the first one to say anything about it though. Help when I'm in the Hedge. At a Market....unless the Hobs are smart enough to see past what the Wyrd's done to me." Mhairi thought there would be more Lost who would say something to her considering how the hobs first thought of her when she wandered by. Maybe they were just talking behind her back about it.

Shaking her head, Mhairi takes a breath and speaks wyrd heavy words.

"For for this Day I Swear to you on my meager skills as a wordsmith, that I am not True Fae, and I work not for them, and I will not return to work for them. If my words ring false, let the Wyrd itself let it's displeasure be known."

Mhairi takes another breath and releases it, hopefully this would be enough to satisfy the Wizended across from her, and the Wyrd that bound all the Lost together.

OOC & Mechanics

Since it's been a few days and my suggestion hasn't been poked at, Imma go with that one and see what happens. And after you're next post with the Pledge words, I'll get them both up on the Pledges Current and Past thread so they're in the same post.

Tasks -1 Endeavor, Lesser: Speak the truth about current status/relationship with the TF and promise not to willingly return to work for them for the Duration of the Pledge
Boon +1 Adroitness, Lesser. Mhairi +1 Expression.
Sanction -1 Curse, Lesser
Duration +1 Day, Less

[Donovan Ackerman]

“I promise by my own words, I ain’t lyin’ about not workin’ for Them since I got away, least as far as I know. Neither that I plan to work for Them’ in or the future or am Them. I’ll regret it if I do.”

The promise hung in the air. Not quite as delicately as Mhairi’s words had been but hopefully the Wyrd still accepted them.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

The words were said, all that was left was the Wyrd to accept them, or for it to deny their day long efforts.

"So...uh...is there anything you wanted to ask me? Or to talk about? Or ask about the Park or the 'hold as a whole?"

If the Pledge is accepted, Donovan's free to up his Freehold Status to 1!

[Donovan Ackerman]

The anticipation continued to hang in the air. It was a little off putting and distracting. He had trouble focusing on Mhairi's questions.

"I umm," he cleared his throat "Sorry, attention's a bit elsewhere. Anything to ask? Not really. You covered the basics and not knowin' the area too well don't know if there's anything I would be missin'. I guess... any important people I should know about? Aside from the Summer King." He didn't really want to start that part of their conversation over again.