Swords and Silks [Zen]

[Eliam]

Eliam had managed to penetrate the defenses of Hyrule Castle.

This was in many ways a tremendous and impossible achievement only possible through tremendous shenanigans such as walking through the front door like any other petitioner.

Except when a servant came to ask him what his business was with the Princess he pulled down his hood and told him softly, "Please tell the honorable Knight Commander that a monster has come to request and audience. Thank you."

The servant paled, made a little squeak like a frightened little mouse and then turned and ran. As Eliam made himself comfortable in a chair, he smiled slightly at the human's terror. At least he wouldn't have to wait long.

[Zenethil]

None in the Knights, nor the entire population of the castle, or the town, or likely all of Hyrule, had ever witnessed Zenethil's brooding. His Knights had taken the brunt of it, his lessons of the day brutal and testing. Fortunately, disciplined as the group was, they didn't question it in the slightest. They simply carried on as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. A few dignitaries had witnessed it, and, ironically enough, it had made negotiations with them far easier. The face of thunder that he bore was, to them, the display of a man who would brook no attempt at deception. As such, the typical display of showy language had vanished the moment he had spoken bluntly. None had seen him display this level of emotion.

And why? Nairore had returned. And not in a good way. What should have been a joyous reunion would now be the same rhetoric he had been forced to spout on countless occasions, because of her violent treatment of various Knights. Only now, she had gone to a whole different level. Lorina, naturally, had tried to smooth it over. Leon, naturally, had said the entire incident had been his fault. And he bore relatively slight marks. But the testimony of the guard detail, and the confirmation of several bystanders, as well as Leon's natural hardiness, told a completely different story.

Not simply a retaliation. A vindictive and vicious assault. Try as he might, but he couldn't help but contemplate, brood and seethe over the point. For several reasons. The first, the fact she had committed such a brutal act. He had raised her better than that, surely? And therein lay the other issue. Rwaht would never allow such a show of abhorrent violent abuse. Even now, as he walked briskly, having been summoned by a somewhat terrified servant, doubly worried now by his foul mood, the evident annoyance upon his face spoke little of the internal turmoil he subjected himself to. He spotted a somewhat ugly brute of a thing stood in the main hallway, leagues of space between him and the nearest other. He paused for a moment, trying with futility to calm himself, before walking briskly towards him.

You wished for an audience, you have it, but be brisk, I have little patience for idle talk and flamboyant speech, and am not in the mood to have my time wasted.

His voice carried powerfully around the hall, and several of the other servants winced at the scathing tone that he spoke with. None of them had ever heard him speak in a manner more extreme than mild displeasure. His eyes were narrowed, looking squarely at the bizarre creature before him, before stopping smartly, three sword lengths from him. Today, was not a good day.

[Eliam]

As Eliam waited for his plea to reach the Commander's ears, he noticed people watching him. Eyes in the doorways and poking around corners, no doubt wondering what he was doing here.

He was controlling himself. He was always controlling himself.

Trying to drown out the parts of his soul that were washed with red that wanted to chase the little squeakbeasts and beat them until their blood painted the walls and their brains splattered No no no! Wise Nayru let them love me as I love them. Brave Farore give us the courage to make this meeting a peaceful one. Din, glorious Din, give me the power to control myself. Wise Nayru let me love me as I love them. Brave Farore give us the courage- and on and on and on.

When Zenethir came storming down the hall, Eliam was able to stand and face him as an equal and not as predator and prey. Time would tell whether Zenethir could do the same. As the conflict in his heart settled, Eliam could feel his satyagraha stabilizing. Perhaps the Commander would be calmed. Perhaps.

Eliam kept his face passive and serene as he met the Commander's eyes. "As you wish. I would like to join the Hylian Knights, Sir."

[Zenethil]

Immediately upon the strange being before him actually acknowledging his presence in the room, he felt... A settling calm begin to descend upon him. Oh, he was still frustrated, angry and exacerbated at Nairore, and generally ill at ease, but somehow, little of that seemed to matter now. He should at least address this person with some measure of politeness and not take out his own personal troubles upon him. He did a double take, thinking back over every other time during the day he had simply produced glares and words capable of toppling fortresses. Why had he not thought that before, he wondered.

You wish to join the Hylian Knights?

His eyebrow was raised as he spoke the words. The recent influx of non-Hylians had done a world of good for the organisation. But for a monster? Especially one as... Abhorrent looking as this creature? Was it a step too far? He mentally shook his head. Save for the Gerudo, all were welcome, should they pass examination and prove their worth. The Gerudo, he argued, were both too unstable, and too intrinsically linked to Merik to ever be trusted with their sacred teachings. And so, he asked the crucial first question.

Might I ask, if you please, why?

[Eliam]

Eliam was a still pool of water. The earthquake of the Commander's passing would not move him. He was calm. He was in control. He was harmless.

"If one such as I can be counted as equal to the blood of the goddesses themselves, it will be one more crack in the walls that separate us all."

After a moment, Eliam decided full disclosure was better than partial. "And I intend to stage a mostly nonviolent revolution and become Emperor of the peoples you call monsters. Later on I hope to establish a fair and equitable system of rule over all of Hyrule where all the races of the world are equal."

And then he smiled, trying to look as friendly as a mouth full of razor sharp teeth could possibly be.

[Zenethil]

He certainly had high ambitions. And conflicting ones. Non-violent revolution, to become the Monster Emperor. With a dragon as the current Emperor, and a clutch of allies of similar kin, he couldn't envision the usurpation of his power being anything less than monumentally catastrophic. Dragons were not known for their peaceful tendencies when threatened. Again, his eyebrow was raised. The idea of joining the Hylian Knights, a military group, was a strange contrast to his wish for peaceful resolution. And, moreover, his final aims were naive, if not impossible to achieve. But, it was a comparatively minor point. His end aims meant little to Zenethil. Only the particulars of his joining.

You desire peace, but wish to join the finest body of fighting men and women.

He paused at that, letting the message sink in. But, in truth, he respected his wishes. In fact, he upheld many of them. War was a necessary evil. Conflict drained life and resource over the disputes of a few people. People in power. People like Merik were catalysts for such atrocities. Using excuse from the past to justify the present. He nodded, looking at the creature, examining him with great scrutiny.

A valiant aim. One that I wish I could continue to hope for. But, an existence of war has left me skeptical of such an outcome. Nonetheless, it is refreshing to hear the wish of peace spoken aloud. Might I have your name?

He paused again for a moment, before resuming.

Let us walk, so we may discuss this further.

[Eliam]

As they walked, Eliam did his best to match pace with the commander, though he had to lengthen his own stride to do it. "My name is Eliam. I am a troll."

Without breaking stride, Eliam shifted the two belts he was wearing so that his sickles were no longer hidden behind his back and instead hung at his sides within easy reach. The motion was smooth and practiced, and the weapons were clearly cared for and maintained.

"Truth be told, I abhor violence. It's in my blood, but I say we are all so much more than our blood." He took a deep breath and smiled. "Can't you feel it in the air? Peace is upon this place and in every heart. Even yours. You know as well as I do that we are all equal in the eyes of the Goddesses. You love your children very much."

It hadn't been hard to get to know some things about the commander's background. "It means so much to me to find a man of love in the knighthood. Power and bravery are meaningless when not tempered with wisdom and love."

[Zenethil]

This... Eliam, was a paradox. A creature that looked every part the 'beast under the bridge' a face full of teeth, and a generally horrific appearance, and yet was singularly dedicated, if his words were anything to go by, to peace. An unusual combination, to be sure, but his words rang true in Zenethil's ears. Even if the idea of peace had eroded in Zenethil's mind as a viable alternative. All thanks to the Gerudo... Many lifetimes of senseless violence and ceaseless war, and still raiding and pillaging continued. It filled Zenethil with dismay, but also anger, that a race such as the Gerudo existed.

Unfortunately, peace is a luxury that few nations can seem to afford. Not once in my years of service has there not been a time we were not at war. Particularly, because of the Gerudo.

He almost spat the name. He despised the Gerudo as a race. His daughter, was somehow different. She was not raised Gerudo, and until recently, displayed considerably less of the violent temperament. Now however? Something had changed. He shunted the thought aside, looking at Eliam.

Peace is the end that all should strive for. Unfortunately, for as long as there are despots and warmongers, I shall persecute them with my full fury. As for my children, things are changing. My daughters are growing, if not grown, up. Lorina is her own person once more, and Nairore... Is Nairore.

He said nothing else on the matter, not wishing to go any deeper into the matter that continued to plague his mind.