Allura - Open Log Prompts For Mareuer

[quintessent]

Who: Allura and [OPEN]
When: Vague times around March
Where: Aefenglom and specifically Diplomatea for some options
What: Allura is getting settled into life here and also experiences her first rainy season
Warnings: None


A. Princess' First Job (At Diplomatea)
[Allura is thankful to Everett, for giving her a chance with his shop. The flowers and the scent of the tea was what drew her in in the first place – when she found herself without a coin to her name for the first time in her life, and the atmosphere had been warm and welcoming. He'd even been kind enough to give her some clothes (or, a uniform, as some put it. Allura thought it was quite cute.)

She's never had a proper job before but she's a hard worker and so far she's been met with nothing but patience. Putting together flowers is her favorite part, though the tea serving took some... learning.

Maybe she's not paying attention, or it's just a bad stroke of luck, but there's a clumsy moment where her knuckle brushes against the heated side of one of the tea kettles – just for a second but it's a second long enough for her to feel a sharp pain and she yanks her hand back with a startled yelp.]

Ah- [She winces, already hearing someone else hurrying over to her side – one of her fellow employees, or a guest perhaps.] I'm alright, just careless.


B. The vague open ended one (Diplomatea)
[It's late one evening, when the lights from the tea shop glowed warm against the cool night air, the business empty and Allura was sitting, enjoying her own cup of tea, her limbs heavy after a long, but good day of work. It was... nice. She still had thoughts of getting home that hung heavy over her, but days like this it was a little easier. To fall into a routine and feel a little more normal than she has since she arrived here.

The bells at the door pull her from her reverie and she looks up, setting the cup down,]

Can I assist you?


C. Rolling up her sleeves. (In town)
[Now that she has a little money to her name there's an item in town that she's been eying for some time – a simple, sturdy wooden trunk from a local carpenter's shop. It's nice and she's been wanting a safe place to put her belongings from her world until it's time to go home (and maybe a safe place to hide shiny valuables from her Merrow housemate.)

Coin exchanged and trunk at her feet, Allura only now realizes a big mistake: When she arrived in Aefenglom it was without any of her Altean-born powers. Which means no hoisting around heavy boxes like they weight nothing. But what to do with the trunk?

It's pure stubbornness that gets her as far as she gets, lifting and hefting and pushing until at some point down the road she has to stop, Panting as she leans to take a rest against the large trunk.]

Stars, how do humans live like this? They're made of gossamer compared to Alteans.

[Help a princess out?]


D. It's like rain
[Altea didn't have rain. Not in the same way that humans knew thanks a lot Voltron canon and certainly Allura has never experienced anything like the rainy season in Aefenglom. What is a normal, even annoying phenomenon for one has Allura looking up, shielding her eyes the moment rain starts to pitter-patter on the roofs of the buildings around her

It's not the first rain she's seen, and she's delighted, but delight quickly turns into distress as the gentle sprinkle turns into a real downpour. And she quickly jogs for shelter- but not before getting absolutely drenched in the meantime.]

Apologies- [Allura sputters, standing in the doorway of the first building she came upon with water absolutely coming down in rivulets from her hair and dress, in a puddle on the floor underneath her. She holds her hands out, a little at a loss of what to do with herself] That's- Is this a normal amount of rain?


E. Wildcard
[Feel free to throw anything at me, or my plotting post is over here if you'd like to talk something specific! I'll probably be adding some closed starters below as the month goes on as I make plans with people too!]

Comments

[quintessent]

[Allura holds on tighter when the trunk sways. Why did she have to get one of the big ones? She thought it'd be economical but now it was just a pain.

Oh well, a good opportunity to make a new friend. When she introduces herself a small smile quirks at her mouth,]

What a coincidence, my dear friend is named Lance. Together you could create an armory.

[She laughs just a little bit at her own joke, and then continues,]

My name is Princess Allura.

[arturiarex]

[ That's a bit of a strange joke, but Saber manages a tight smile all the same. She's not the only one with a weapon motif, apparently. ]

I am pleased to meet you, Your Highness. It seems that this place has a tendency to attract different sorts of royalty... I've met several kings and princesses already.

[ Half a joke, half an observation. ]

[quintessent]

[Allura's joke had fallen flat but she's always had a little bit of a mismatched sense of humor when it came to the humans. Cultural differences she supposes. Still, she tries not to linger on the awkward air around them as she walks.]

A strange coincidence, but none of us hold any domain while we are here.

[Said with an odd sort of tightness in her voice. This planet aside, she hasn't yet come to terms what it means to be a princess of a planet that no longer existed. Or when all remaining royalty was dead. She shakes her head free of those thoughts.]

Here we are all just Witches and Monsters, the same as everyone else.

[arturiarex]

Are we? I know some people who would claim that royalty - of whatever stripe - remain so, no matter where they go or what they do.

[ Or that's the thought that's usually been with her and the other Servants she's met. ]

We may not hold domain here, but we were kings once. Still are. Even if the kingdom has gone.

[quintessent]

[Allura just gives a contemplative hum, the last statement that Saber makes settling heavy in her chest. Her eyes focus on the road ahead.]

It’s a question I’ve had for a long time. I am the daughter of King Alfor, and there’s nothing that will change that. [Said with no small amount of pride,] But I don’t know if that’s just my sentimental side, speaking.

[She huffs a breath, then changes the topic slightly,] Are you royalty too?

[arturiarex]

[ Well, more people are bound to find out. No point in hiding it at this point. She huffs for breath for a moment, adjusting her grip as she feels her fingers slip a little. Yep, still got it. ]

Yes. I was King of Britain.

[ She half-turns her head to glance at Allura. ]

Even though I am very far from Britain and Britain as I knew it is gone... I am still a king.

[quintessent]

[She politely waits when Saber needs to adjust, feeling her own grip getting a little sweaty. But they're almost there.

At the admission, her eyebrows hike up high. She'd guessed by now based on their conversation, but she's not expecting King. For a few reasons but - ah, she should know better than to look at another world through the lens of her own.

There's a long beat of silence while they walk before she asks.]

But what if you feel as though... you don't deserve to be.

[arturiarex]

That cannot be.

[ Saber's tone is a bit clipped. She has regrets, yes, and maybe she wants to do something drastic about them, but... she chose to be king. She deserved to be king. And she would do it all over again. ]

You are royalty; a princess and one day a queen. You have chosen to take the mantle. Or perhaps it was thrust upon you - I do not know.

[ She grunts and adjusts her grip again. ]

But it is a duty and a right, both. One must put aside their doubts for the sake of the people.

[quintessent]

[She listens, quietly. Considering. It’s hard not to feel chagrined just for having the thought, not when it sounds as if Saber has been through much of the same. Royalty removed from their homes and their people. It’s not that Allura wanted a way out – she readily accepted that she would someday take her father’s place as the leader and protector of her people.

Except. She stops suddenly, holding the trunk still,]

There are no people left. Only myself and my advisor. My planet was destroyed long before I came here.

[arturiarex]

[ Saber takes another step forward before she realizes Allura has stopped and she turns to look at her again. There's a long moment of silence and her expression falls a little from that cool reserve she does her best to maintain. ]

I'm... sorry.

[ What else can she say? ]

Through my own mistakes, I allowed my kingdom to be destroyed by revolt and civil war. [ Which is the short version. ]

But that can't compare to losing... everything. [ Even the land itself, if she's interpreting that right. An entire planet? Wiped away? Her kingdom survives, in some form, even if she's sure that she could have saved it, given another chance. ]

So while I do not perhaps fully understand... I do understand, in a way. It is the burden we carry.

[quintessent]

[It’s a heavy topic to lay on anyone’s shoulders and it feels disparate, from the sun shining above them and in the beat of silence before Saber speaks, she wonders if she should have kept it to herself. It’s not Saber’s burden to comfort her about this. But as she continues to talk, Allura lifts her eyes to meet Saber’s.]

I’m sorry too. For what happened to your kingdom.

[Even if Saber claims fault – her father does the same for the loss of Altea. It didn’t mean that their hearts weren’t in the right place.]

Thank you for listening to me. [She nods to the trunk, and starts walking again,] It’s not a burden that many understand.

[arturiarex]

[ Saber nods and hefts her end of the trunk again as they start to walk. She's not good at comforting people or being open emotionally, but she tries to do what she can. Even now. She glances at Allura as they continue on their journey. ]

I am happy to listen. And help how I can. The burden of ruler-ship is... heavy. Even at the best of times.

[ Or should be, anyway. ]

[quintessent]

[Listening is everything that she could ask for. She wasn't expecting it on her trip home. But with some of the weight off of her shoulders in the moment, she offers a small smile to Saber when she glances over.]

I never regretted it- my position. [No matter how she questioned herself,] My father was a great king, and I wanted to be a leader like him someday.

[Then, as an aside, she interjects,] We're almost there. [Nodding in the direction of one of the mansions in the Haven.] My friends and I live there together.

[arturiarex]

Well. Even now, you can help set an example.

[ Saber offers her the slightest of smiles. She's not one for displays of emotion, so that probably means something. But here they are! ]

Ah. I see. I have recently taken up living quarters in such a place, myself.

[quintessent]

[She nods, both at the advice, and in response to her living situation.]

It is the only place big enough for all of my friends, especially if the others arrive eventually.

[She has to think of the future. Huffing and puffing the rest of the way up the stairs, Allura leads them in lowering the trunk to the ground so she can unlock the door.]

Do you want to come in for a bit? I owe you some deal of gratitude for your help, although I don't think we have much other than Lance's snacks.

[arturiarex]

Others? You think there will be more of your companions arriving?

[ Saber is a little surprised. Despite people here being familiar with her, she hasn't considered the idea that people she was close with might arrive. Nor has she put any thought into preparing for the possibility. ]

And... that is not necessary. It was no trouble to provide assistance.

[ Saber, stop being a martyr. ]

[quintessent]

[Maybe it's paranoia, or just noticing a pattern but- Allura gives a small tilt of her head.]

I'm not certain. But there are already four of my closest friends here, there's no reason to assume the others won't arrive someday.

[Best to be prepared anyway.]

I will pay you back somehow, Saber. I appreciate the kindness.

[arturiarex]

Ah. I've experienced something similar - several people I know or know of and others who know of me. It's... slightly disconcerting.

[ She shrugs. No reason to dwell. She lowers her head in a little nod. ]

There's no need, but you're welcome for the assistance. Perhaps we'll meet again?