• Solo • The Embla, Part 2

[Victor Amielle]

Continued from here.

Vhalar 4, Arc 720

“Have you already thought about what you want your embla to look like and where it is going to be, by the way?” Ingrid wanted to know from Victor as they walked down a carpeted hallway, towards the office where they would be meeting with a representative of the Circle in a couple of bits in order to be hopefully take care of his petition for citizenship.

“Your neck’s already occupied”, Ingrid observed (Victor’s Syns tattoo was on his neck). “I suppose that you could have your embla on one or both of your hands, although wearing gloves in winter might be a problem as your embla is supposed to be visible – or on your throat, although a throat tattoo would probably be painful to get …”

“Gold and on my face”, Victor replied somewhat curtly. Normally, he loved how chatty and enthusiastic his friend was. It helped keep the dark thoughts that he still had from time to time at bay. Now, it just made him nervous though. He did not say anything out loud though. He knew that his friend only wanted to help him. “It’s the most logical place in my opinion, and I don’t mind if it hurts”, he added.

That was true. Victor didn’t care about the pain; the pain would only make the procedure more meaningful, and he had no problem at all when it came to having a tattoo in such an obvious place even though such things were not common in his native Lysoria where his older brother still ruled. He wanted to show his allegiance to his new home openly; he was proud of it, and he wanted to let everybody know where he belonged.

He had finally found a place where he felt wanted.

He just hoped that everything would go well. He had been fairly optimistic all morning long – he was a Warlock of the Syns, and people that had accomplished far less had been granted citizenship – but now he couldn’t help but feel an unpleasant sensation in the pit of his stomach.

For a moment, he wondered if he should pray, but he did not know who he should pray to, his patron Immortal Delroth or the spirits that the Melrathi worshipped – or both of them.

“It will be alright”, Ingrid remarked in an uncharacteristically soft and gentle tone of voice, as if she had just been reading his mind. “From what I’ve heard, it’s a fairly simple process. Unless you have committed a crime, you don’t really have anything to fear, and I know that you are definitely not a criminal. I’m sorry if I talked too much, by the way. I wanted to distract you, and besides, I have to admit I’m a little nervous as well. I’ve never vouched for anybody before!” she reminded him (she had already mentioned that bit earlier that morning, when she had come to pick him up).

“I would not have asked you to vouch for me in the first place if I didn’t have faith in you”, Victor told her. Knowing that his friend was nervous as well actually made him feel better – and less nervous, which was a little bit strange, he supposed. He smiled reassuringly at her for a moment before he finally tried to push those thoughts away.

He had met an Immortal, he had dealt with undead pirates, ghosts and monsters, he had been kidnapped and imprisoned. Compared to all that, being nervous about a meeting with a clerk, even a clerk that would have a major impact on his future in Melrath, was laughable.

Besides, it wouldn't do for a Warlock of the Syns to be nervous like that.

He straightened himself and approached the door at the end of the hallway, with Ingrid walking next to him, feeling slightly more confident about what lay ahead.

[Victor Amielle]

Before long, the Lysorian noble and his Melrathi friend stood in front of a desk that was made of fine dark wood and looked at a middle-aged woman with slightly pointed ears that hinted at biqaj heritage somewhere down her lineage. She had dark-blonde hair that she wore in a thick braid, a pale face with a silver embla in the shape of delicate vines and flowers and serious steel-grey eyes, and she wore a forest-green tunic, among other things. She didn’t say anything to them at first, but let her gaze drift over the two of them for a few moments before she finally greeted them in a voice that was surprisingly deep,

“Good morning. My name is Solveig Andersson, and I will be taking care of your petition for citizenship this trial. Before I ask your witness to speak about your life in Melrath and your contributions to our society, may I see your mage papers, please, sir? I know that you are a Warlock, and that the Syns wouldn’t let someone that does not have the correct document join, but there are certain rules that have to be followed regardless”, she informed him in a cool and professional tone of voice before she extended a hand towards him, as if she were waiting for something.

Victor only nodded his head before he reached into his bag and removed a folder that he had collected his most important documents in from it. He opened it and presented the document that Solveig had asked for to her. Even though approximately an arc had passed since he had arrived in Melrath, his mage papers were still in pristine condition. Normally, he kept them in a pocket rather than in a folder in his bag as he didn’t always carry a bag with him, but he always used a protective cover in that case in order to avoid damaging them.

“A Transmuter?” Solveig asked with a hint of curiosity before she inclined her head. A smile flickered across her face for the briefest of moments as she quickly leaved through the rest of the documents before she handed the folder back to him. “And you went to university in Scalvoris?”

“I received a Letter and Certificate in Arcana from the University of Scalvoris, yes”, Victor replied in a serious tone of voice before he fell silent again and waited for Solveig’s next question – or for her to tell Ingrid to start to speak. He did not look away from the clerk, not even for a moment, although her office did not look uninteresting in his opinion (there were traditional Melrathi decorations on the wall behind her desk, for example, and there was a shelf full of books as well). His entire attention was focused on her.

At first, Solveig didn’t say anything at all, but simply inclined her head, as if she were acknowledging what Victor had said to her. A few moments later, she looked at Ingrid though and told her, “Please take a step forward and tell us why you think that this man here should be granted citizenship. And take your time, please”, she added.

[Victor Amielle]

Ingrid looked at Victor for a moment and smiled nervously at him before she turned to face Solveig once more, took a deep breath and began to speak, in a tone of voice that was relatively firm, “I first met Victor Amielle approximately an arc ago, shortly after he had arrived in Melrath. There are some outlanders that never bother getting to know our culture. Victor made an effort to understand our way of life and familiarized himself with the way our society works, our history and our laws from the trial that he arrived here though – and participated in our traditions and our festivals. He celebrated the arrival of the first snow, for example …”

Victor felt a little hot when he heard that. Approximately an arc before, when he had participated in the aforementioned celebration, he had jumped into an icy pond without his clothes on, as the tradition demanded. He knew that Ingrid meant well and wanted to let Solveig know just how much of an effort he had made to fit in, but by Delroth, he hoped that she had enough common sense to keep certain details to herself. He liked her, and he trusted her which why he had wanted her to be his witness, but she got carried away a little every now and then!

He was just wondering if he should nudge her so that she would stop and talk about something else instead – and if he was actually allowed to do so or if Solveig would interpret it as a sign that he was attempting to influence his witness and subsequently end the meeting before it had really begun – when the older woman began to chuckle softly.

“That is quite commendable, but I do not need to hear about Mister Amielle participating in our festivals in detail. It is enough for me to know that he did those things and that he was willing to learn about our culture”, Solveig interrupted Ingrid and raised a hand so that the young woman would stop talking for a moment. “Can you tell me more about what he contributed to our society instead, please?” she wanted to know before she fell silent again and looked at Victor’s friend expectantly. Ingrid blushed for a moment, but then she inclined her head.

“Of course, Mrs. Andersson”, she replied politely and cast a brief glance at Victor before she continued. “Victor Amielle played an important part in the events surrounding the fortress of Niflheim that took place in Vhalar and Zi’da last arc”, she told Solveig before she proceeded to talk about what Victor had told her and what was also known about the Ragnari in general and the Syns in particular, for the most part.

There were certain details, such as the nature of his research, that Victor had kept to himself when he had talked to her, for various reasons, because they were not meant for people outside the Syns, for example, but Ingrid knew more than most. He listened to her with a calm expression on his face. Inside, he could not help but worry again though. It was supposed to be a simple procedure, but it did not feel simple to him. That trial, the future course of his life would be decided.

He did not know what would happen if he was not granted citizenship, but he did not want to leave Melrath again, in shame and with his Syns tattoo removed or rendered ineffective – he could not. He could not crawl back to Lysoria and to his brother who had always considered him to be a failure and the black sheep of the family, beg for forgiveness and return to a prison that was worse than Niflheim had ever been, even in its darkest trials.

[Victor Amielle]

When Ingrid started to speak again, Victor took a deep breath. He tried to make use of some of the techniques that his old tutor Master Martinus had told him back in Lysoria in what seemed like a different life now, when he had first voiced an interest in becoming a mage. Trying to relax was something that he struggled with though, due to the importance of what was going on. For a moment, his thoughts moved at an impossible speed, in fact, before he managed to regain some semblance of calm. Throughout all of it, he stood still though.

“Victor Amielle served as a witness in a hearing about Niflheim and the Syns, at a great risk for himself and was subsequently allowed to join the Syns as a Warlock. Since then, he investigated the aftermath of the Lotharro attacks on Noatun as well as certain strange happenings there, for example, and even made international connections. In all the time that I have known him, Victor Amielle has been utterly devoted to our nation. In my opinion, he would do everything for Melrath”, Ingrid spoke and finally finished, meeting Solveig’s gaze as she did so.

The clerk did not reply right away, but regarded Ingrid and Victor thoughtfully for a few moments before she finally remarked, “That is good to know, and I appreciate that you think so highly of him. I am aware of some of Mister Amielle’s actions myself”, she added, smiling very lightly. Solveig appreciated the fact that she had not been fed a lie – such happened sometimes, and people also had a tendency to try and exaggerate. She did not say more in that regard though, but turned to face Victor once more.

“There is one thing that I cannot help but wonder about, Mister Amielle – or shall I say Lord Amielle?” she admitted. “I would appreciate an explanation in that regard before I make my decision. Your older brother rules Lysoria – I did some research on you when I found out that you would be applying for citizenship. Why did you leave Lysoria and move to a place where you still had to prove yourself when you already had everything that one could possibly wish for?”

She looked at him questioningly.

“Because a home is more than just the place where you were born and grew up. In Melrath, I feel as if I belong, perhaps for the first time in my thirty-one arcs”, Victor simply replied before he fell silent again and met Solveig’s gaze.

The Melrathi woman looked strangely thoughtful for a moment when she heard that, before she inclined her head sharply. “I am glad to hear that, Lord Amielle”, she remarked, using Victor’s rightful title now, and smiled slightly. “Let me be the first to congratulate you on becoming a citizen of Melrath”, she continued, stood and extended a hand. Victor took it and shook it without hesitation, finally feeling the tension that he had felt throughout leave for good.

“With that being said”, Solveig remarked in an almost apologetic tone of voice when she sat down again – now that the interview was over, she was much more relaxed and less cool. “There is a minor amount of paperwork that we need to take care of before you can finally go and receive your embla. I assume that you have already picked an artist?” she asked, produced a form and slid it across the desk to Victor.

“Of course”, he replied as he filled out the form. “I have already picked a design as well. Thank you, by the way”, he added.

“You don’t need to thank me, Lord Amielle”, Solveig replied and laughed before she took the finished form and handed him a document that proved what had happened that trial. “You did everything yourself. I just gave you a form to fill out. And you”, she said to Ingrid who had listened to their conversation quietly. “You did well to-trial, young lady. It was unnecessary for you to be so nervous. I assume that you two will want to celebrate now though?” she wanted to know, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

“After I have received my embla, maybe”, Victor replied in a serious tone of voice and added the document to his folder. “I am most excited about that, I have to admit – and grateful that I’m considered to be worthy of receiving such an honour and being part of such a sacred tradition.”

He did not say those things because he thought that Solveig wanted to hear them. He really felt honoured – and blessed.

“Spoken like a true Melrathi”, Solveig remarked with a smile before she stood once more and accompanied Victor and his friend to the door. “Perhaps, we’ll see each other again one trial. I have to admit, I’m curious about what you’ll look like with an embla. Good luck”, she added before she finally bade the two of them farewell.

As they left the office, Victor felt unusually light, and he could not help but smile. For the first time since his brother’s mages had executed his lover and thrown his dead body at his feet, he was truly optimistic about the future and had the feeling that it would all work out. It would be alright.



The story continues here.

[Pig Boy]

Victor

Experience: 10 no magic xp

Knowledge:

Detection x1
Discipline x3
Meditation x1
Politics: The process of becoming a citizen of Melrath

Renown: 10 for getting a Melrathi to witness for you.

Skill Usage: Appropriate to level.

Loot/Losses: none

Injuries/Conditions: none

Consequences: One step closer to citizenship.

Comments: Victor's nerves were well played. Although his place in Melrathi is all but assured, by dint of his acceptance by the Syns (one of the more exclusive branches of the Ragnari), he went forward with humility and no expectations. That played in his favor, I feel. Melrathi despise those who feel entitled to what they may be getting. Victor is not at all like that here, which is good.

I was impressed to hear all of Victor's accomplishments by Ingrid. He seems to have assimilated fairly well here. I'm glad to have such a steadfast Ragnari in Melrath, and so dedicated and reliable. I'm sure the Circle appreciates him too...

I look forward to seeing this thread through to its conclusion, if I get to review it. I will probably look it over anyways, to make sure all is up to code .

Great writing and enjoy the rewards.

If you have any concerns about this review, please PM me about them.