AUs

[goodknightdaddy]

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[ehnnui]

[he settles into the seat opposite gracefully.]

Thank you for your hospitality. I know you are busy, so I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me.

[for all his apparent COURTLY WILES kamukura is facing kierean with much the same attitude. there will be no fawning here, no powerplay, only mannerly stoicism. nevermind that he's dying inside.]

[goodknightdaddy]

[He's not really sure what to make of it. A facade? Or maybe the man is just quiet. That'd be fine. Maybe this is just a courtesy call and not something more tiresome. He knows better than to judge someone by their faction alone, but also better than to lower his guard over a good first impression.

He waves and a servant brings them tea and snacks.]

Please feel at ease. It's true I am busy but I'm sure you're also busy. Meeting a fellow noble and knight is also part of work. I hope we can be on good terms. I've been wanting to meet you as well.

[That's true. A man this talented... if they weren't in opposing factions Keirean would have definitely tried to recruit him.]

[ehnnui]

[Kamukura's eyes track the servant as they come and go, much more aware of them than someone born a noble would typically be-- but, well, he wasn't.]

I am honored to hear that. I've heard rumors that our squads may work together soon, so I thought it best to touch base.

[and sure that's information that KIEREAN has but kamukura absolutely should not at this point. is it a power move? hard to say. his inflection hasn't changed in the slightest.]

[goodknightdaddy]

[He doesn't show his surprise, his guard is too up for a cute reaction. But he is surprised. Wary too. But Kamukura is right, it'll happen soon.]

Your information network must be impressive.

[He lifts his tea and sips it.]

You're correct. The summons will come in a few days. We'll have time to coordinate after that. But I would advise preparing a squad and provisions for a month's deployment east. Since you know this much, you can ask me if there is anything you want to confirm in advance.

[ehnnui]

Making sure I am prepared is the best thing I can do for my men and women.

[He sips his tea as well, utterly unruffled by his own admissions or Kierean's responses.]

In the interest of that... thank you for your advice. I have heard you've worked in the area in the past. Is there anything specific I should keep in mind when choosing my squad, do you think?

[goodknightdaddy]

Try to look for experience. Especially against ambush. It's to be a monster experimentation but there are unsavory groups in the region that have no love for knights. They may not keep quiet if they think they can catch us unawares while we deal with monsters.

[ehnnui]

Ah. Thank you. The types who can be alert for long periods of time without burning out then, as a secondary option if I find our numbers with experience lacking.

[goodknightdaddy]

Yes. That's not a bad criteria. We'll have a base of operations that should be reasonably secure. Knights who won't be unwary even in town, however, would be good. That area isn't entirely lawless but... it's also nothing like the capital. And corruption runs deep.

[It's a noble alliance held territory too but he's not trying to imply anything. He doesn't need to. He's just talking fact.]

Our primary objective are some troublesome giant scorpion beasts that have carved a nest nearby. Medics will certainly be needed. If you don't have antipoison supplies gathering them now would be a good start.

[He'll answer like this for a while, anything he's asked he'll give an informative answer.]

Now I have a question of my own.

[ehnnui]

[Kamukura soaks up the advice like a sponge, engaging with each detail with something almost like eagerness, past his stoicism. It's clear that he's putting real thought into their conversation, and what he can do for the people in his care. He doesn't take offense, either, at the blatant allusions to corruption-- he takes them as a factor to be considered for the safety of his knights, without so much as blinking.]

Ask away, my lord.

[goodknightdaddy]

Who taught you the sword? I've seen you from a distance once. It's a style I don't know, but I can tell it's impressive.

[He's got a good impression of the young man, though his own guard is still high, he believes that this youth is actually very serious as a knight, so he lets his own curiosity as a knight out, a little. Not to flatter, but simply because... he is interested.]

[ehnnui]

I... have not been formally taught, I'm afraid.

[wild, for a noble, especially a knight.]

I wouldn't call it a proper style, really. Not in the... generally accepted meaning. I learned from watching others, and merely imitate what works best for me.

[aaaand it's terrifying and graceful and WORKS. what he isn't saying is that he learned it from watching illegal gladiatorial deathmatches in his childhood.]

[goodknightdaddy]

...

[Now he does show surprise, widened eyes, a slack expression for a moment. As a swordmaster of his own skill how can he not know what an impossible and amazing thing is being said so casually. He lifts a hand to run through his own bangs, expression composing after a moment.]

Truly it's hard to find words for that. It's a beautiful style you've developed.

[ehnnui]

[there are hints of actual embarrassment, slipping past his stoicism. pleasure, too, at being praised...? harder to say, on that one.]

... Thank you. Such praise means a great deal, from a swordsman so accomplished as yourself.

[goodknightdaddy]

[He nods. Neither humble nor arrogant. He is, indeed, someone who doesn't praise easily or without reason, he won't put down his own comment out of modesty. He's a master himself, he meant it from the heart as a fellow swordsman. He also misses that Kamukura is flustered because he's too emotionally stiff to notice such things.]

I look forward to seeing what you accomplish as a knight, sir Kamukura. I have high expectations.

[ehnnui]

[Kamukura is DYING, but inclines his head modestly.]

I shall do my utmost not to disappoint you, my lord.

[goodknightdaddy]

[Good luck there buddy.

Keirean will make quiet small talk until Kamukura leaves. Turns out he's not an ineloquent speaker but he's also not great at carrying a conversation that isn't work related, or about his daughter. They get on that topic and he goes all soft at the edges, fond and fatherly. It's subtle but really cute.

After Kamukura gets up to go Keirean decides he likes the young man. Even if there's no way he can remotely trust him. So he extends to him the invitation to drop by if he wishes to talk again, if Keirean isn't otherwise busy, not something he often invites others to do. A few days later they're summoned and given their task, and a week after that they travel east, setting up base in an imperial owned villa the knights often use when in this area. It's probably familiar to Kamukura but well, they have scorpions to hunt.

And hunt they shall. It's a lot of work and very dangerous. Days into exterminating various nests Keirean comes to truly admire and be a bit terrified of the younger man's skill and potential. But they work well enough together, until, while dragging a wounded knight out of the way, Keirean is attacked by a scorpion that appears suddenly. Its sting ready to pierce his chest.]

[ehnnui]

[Kamukura also has trouble carrying a conversation, but he leaves without too much awkwardness. He's truly touched by the invitation, especially since it's not like he expects Kierean's trust, either.

As for the hunt... it becomes clear quickly that he is a clever and level-headed leader, and though he's VERY stressed by their current location, he's not allowing it to affect his work.

That all goes out the window when Kierean is in a danger he cannot save himself from. Kamukura doesn't even cry out, there's no time to warn him, all he can do is bodily shove the older man and the knight he's dragging out of the way, knocking the two of them over and taking the stinger himself, right in the side. He lops off its tail fast, slays it before anyone can really react to how very stung he just was, then turns to offer the wounded knight a hand up like he isn't turbofucked.]

I'm sorry, did the fall worsen your injuries--?

[goodknightdaddy]

[Keirean is visibly upset. But he's a hardened commander, he barks orders. Knights still standing make sure there aren't any more monsters, medics, treat the wounded, etc. The other knight is He's taking Kamukura by the arm and hauling him to the side, the other knight handed off to an uninjured comrade, and he's pushing him to sit on a rock while Keiren removes what armor and clothing he can from around where the stinger is still embedded.]

Hold on to me. This will hurt.

[Normally you want to leave an object in a stab wound until the doctors get to it, but with these scorpions the venom will keep pumping in until the sac is drained. Better to pull out the stinger and risk the blood loss than die certainly to the venom. Keirean is confident as a man who has treated many battle wounded before medics could as well, he is determined to make sure this young man who just surely saved his life doesn't die like this.]

[ehnnui]

[He lets Kierean yank him around, seeming almost confused more than anything? He feels pain like any man but his mind is kiiind of buckling under the stress.]

Ah, right, the stinger needs to...

[he trails off, curling his fingers into whatever bits of Kierean's armor he can get purchase on.]

It's okay. I won't die here.

[he says it like he's trying to comfort Kierean.]

[goodknightdaddy]

I know. I won't let you.

[Because he intends to make sure Kamukura lives. He places a hand behind Kamukura's back, to hold him still, and pulls the stinger out with swift surety.

Quickly he drops it and presses torn cloth to the seeping wound, the pressure firm and steady until a medic can come dress it properly.]

Hold on a little while longer.

[ehnnui]

[okay yeah that hurts like hell, but he just makes a soft, wounded noise, like a kicked puppy, and grips kierean tighter.]

I will, I will... However long you need me to wait, I will.

[goodknightdaddy]

[Odd but Keirean pays it no mind.]

It'll be all right, I promise you'll be well taken care of. It may take some time to recover, but I will see that you do.

... You're holding on well.

[ehnnui]

[his body is getting feverish now, the poison kicking in.]

I won't let you down. I promised.

[goodknightdaddy]

[He holds onto the compress, stemming the blood. A medic arrives before he can respond and he hovers a moment before seeing to the aftermath. But he's the one to personally carry Kamukura with him on his horse back to the villa, even if the young man isn't conscious for it.

There everyone wounded gets proper thorough treatment, and Keirean carries Kamukura to a familiar room, settles him in bed and watches the doctors give him medicine.

The poison will make him feverish for a few days and weak for a while longer, on top of the wound, but he'll make a full recovery.

Keirean deals with his job as commander than comes back, watches over him, troubled, until he accidentally falls asleep in the chair by the bed.

The very same way he did once before when Kamukura was an injured little boy in this very room.]

[ehnnui]

[Kamukura passes out pretty much the moment Kierean steps away, and stays out cold for a WHILE. Which, in combination with the fever and change of scenery back into his childhood... it's a lot to take in.

He watches him, silently, for several minutes, before he gets too antsy about what is clearly a hallucination and tries to get out of bed.

He mostly hits the floor like a rock when he tries to put actual weight on his legs though? Fucked up.]