#salmon-duchy-lands-aka-alaska

Glitterdwell. Gwydions, everywhere. Dagmar belongs here, too. She does. She's a Gwydion Knight, just the same as them. It's not overkill to be in her brightest green and gold voile, with Star's barding and tack done up the same.

"Greetings, Fellow Falcon," One fellow, a sidhe fellow with a strong chin despite his elf like frame waves, "Off to rulership lessons? Or maybe War Strategems? Or heading towards the practice hard? Maybe hitting the Bird Bath?" He seems an extroverted sort.

"....Bird Bath?" That gets The Brow.

"Sorry, the elders hate the name but it's stuck. It's kind of a tavern coffee shop combo for informal socializing, of course as we're almost all Gwydions it can get dramatic. I'm Sir Leslander Staghorn. I'm not sure if we've met before," He bows with a flourish.

"We've not. I'm not... I'm travelling, I guess. Dame Dagmar Hammerstrike, of Rivervale. Nice to meet you, Sir Leslander."

"Rivervale? That rings a bell for some reason. Lord knows I probably missed something in a history class," Sir Leslander admits sheepishly, "My worst subject. May I escort you to any place or class? Daireann may boast about hospitality being their purview but ANY house of worth offers some curtesy. " he says "We've been waiting for a few guests. Maybe you're one of them? Either way I'd be happy to escort. While I speak lightly, this IS a good place for making yourself a better Falcon. Even helps me," He says with dry humility.

"It's in New Jersey, so not close at all." She pats Star's neck before dismounting in one smooth motion, long practiced. "I might take you up on that, since you know the turf. I'll need to have Star put up first, of course. So where are you from?"

"Duchy of Twin Hills originally, in Pacifica," He answers, "New Jersey? interesting.. yes, that's really ringing bells. COme on, I'll show you the stable area. It's quite large. Fiona tend to be better horsemen but we've got some beautiful steeds. Speaking of which, yours is glorious." Sir Leslander Staghorn admires Star as he leads Dagmar to some truly large stable areas! Lots of room, stable boys and girls tending constantly, of various ages. There are Fae steed horses, so many to give the mistaken impression such are common. A few might even be covered by a certain Ailil. But there are also Griffins and Hypogriffs, At least one winged Horse Chimera, and more unusual rides such as a large Turtle with a blanket on its back to keep it warm.

"Star is the best mare you'll find." Fond and proud. "Twin Hills sounds familiar to me, too. I think the lord there is a friend of the Chief."

"Huh, okay, I REALLY need to learn it now," He grins./ "Are you bothering someone again, Sir Leslander?" a woman's voice, a wilder girl about Dagmar's age. Anothe sidhe of course, but she seems more stern, she is also stroking an absolutely gorgeous stallion of bronze hue with shock white 'socks' blaze and tail, then she looks over at Dagmar and bows, "Baroness Cambria ap Gwydion, do not worry about my title, when we are not in ettiquete classes ALL are Gwydions here. I must warn you, Sir Staghorn will talk your ear off if you let him." She shoots him a brow that is almost troll worthy.

Sir Leslander somehow manages to maintain just enough decorum to roll his eyes in a way that doesn't get him in trouble, "I'm invested, Cambria."

"Mm. I don't mind chatter." She tends to Star herself, divesting the mare of her tack and brushing her down - Dag is a good horsewoman. "Dame Dagmar, of Rivenvale."

Cambria notices how Dagmar tends to her own horse and nods approvingly, then pauses "Rivervale? Where the Shacklebreaker hails from? You come from a lodge of honor, House sister."

A brief flush of purple and she nods. "Chieftain Brekke's my liege, yeah. I serve the hold, but she has my fealty."

Leslander says "THAT is what has been ringing bells. The Legend herself." he grins "Oh I've heard stories but I imagine you have lived them."/ Cambria nods to Dagmar seeming to mostly tune Leslander out, "The bonds know no distance. Your steed has fine lines. I imagine she does well in the joust."

THAT gets a grin. "Star's the best, yeah."

"Chief's retired up to Alaska, actually. I was visiting, and now..." A gesture, indicating Glitterdwell.

"It will be a fine summer here," She says, for that is the Season, "And your Star IS magnificient, but if you ever want to test her and yourself against me and my Stalwart," She pats her stallion down, "Let me know. There are lessons here of all sorts, and there is an equestian teacher of such skill as to make me feel clumsy."

"She's an Eshu and she's amazing," Leslander chimes in, "A Gwydion, of course. She can also teach you how to ride a camel. It's really fun."

"Never turn down a chance to learn, as a rule." She nods. "Never been to a place that's just.. all Falcons. Bergen's got a Gwydion Count, of course. But, you know, lots of other people."

Cambria nods, "Of certes and of necessity. We kithain are too few to have every hold occupied by just one house even if one discounts the untitled, which is foolish to do as they are our subjects and deserve our full attention," She is quite serious about that , the noblise Oblige, "FInd out where you lack, and there are likely mentors and lessons here to learn from. Did Sir Staghorn tell you of some of the options?" / "I did," Leslander replies, "Standing right here by the way, Cambria." A bit dryly./ Cambria glances over at him, "I'm sorry, did thou say something?" / NOW he rolls his eyes openly.

"Leslander's been real hospitable."

"One tries," Leslander bows dramatically, "And thank you, Dagmar. Since I get to be the talky one, may I ask where you want to shore up your... Gwydioneness?"

Cambria ahems, "Don't be insulted by that, please. We ALL come here to get closer ties to what it means to be a Gwydion."

"I..." She falters. "I'm not insulted. I'm not really well-travelled, or courtly, sorry. I'm certainly not..." She hesitates again, looking at the two sidhe.

"Rivervale's a Lodge."

"You.. never go to Caer Falken's court?" Cambria seems startled, "Or at least not much?" She seems shocked that such a high ranking Gwydion would be snubbed, "Did he somehow give insult to you? Or were you banished?"

"I mean, I've never been the liaison, no." Oh, now her cheeks are turning a dusky lilac. "I've been to Caer Falken, for holidays, mostly. I'm not - no, I'm allowed to go, it's not like that?"

Relief flushes into Cambria's face, "Count Autumnsbane is something of a hero to me so I was worried. I confess." She blushes herself,. "Forgive my unseemly prying."

Leslander looks relieved to, but also a bit amused at how Cambria responded, "Just when I thought this might get REALLY interesting. It wouldn't be the first Gwydion to come here exiled by a House Brother or sister. They always have interesting tales."

"Exiled?" A flash of concern, not scorn.

"I'm... I'm afraid I know very little of House politics at all." She confesses, honest and a little embarrassed. "Chief's, of course, a legend. I know that. But I've not really..."

"Oh you'll learn Politics here," Leslander Staghorn assures her, "And don't worry, the nice thing about our sidhe tendency to be snobby about Common folk invovled in politics is if YOU mess up folks will just nod and not make a fuss. When I do it? It's 'we are sidhe' and a snooty nose in the air."

"Perhaps if you weren't so quick to ramble at court?" Cambria advises him.

"Is honesty and interest a crime now?" The Gwydion Knight lad hurumphs

"Yeah, I'm pretty aware the rules are different for titled commoners than for nobles." A small twist of her mouth.

Cambria says "Mayhaps, and perhaps that is an injustice we need to rectify at times. Another reason to come here , atl east for we of the Shining Host is to better understand our Non Sidhe peers and equals. You will find as a troll you are respected for the Guardian Kith are among the proven champions of the house." A firm nod "One of my mentors was a troll back home. If any were to mock his honor in MY presence, I should demand satisfaction."

She nods a little. "So. So I guess that's what I'm here for?" She shrugs. "It's not to say I can't improve my combat or riding, that's an always thing, but I'm confident enough in my physical skills."

"If you're one third as good as Brekke Shacklebreaker, yeah, you're set there," Leslander whistles, "I hear she slew a lodge eating dragon named Skallstryke or something."

"Please, follow me, and I'll be happy to escort you to 'court practice'" Cambria offers, "Do you seek to learn etiquette, Judgement, or political theory first?"

Her hand drifts to her mouth, where she worriedly bites on her cuticles before she stops herself and folds her hands behind her back. "I... I think I have good judgement, to start with, but you make it sound like a thing."

"The burden is heavier the more rank you have," Leslander assures Dagmar, "Knights like you and I are seldom asked to go all Solomon on a baby, but barons and up? They need to be good judges as well as politicians and leaders. In a way, you and I are lucky. As nobles, we 'work' for a living."

Cambria sniffs at that comment, "There is service in rule, or the ruler is no true leader. Do not fear, Dagmar, the 'Thing', while important, is not so much about a scoring system but improvement of the individual. If someone came here falling off their horse from just trying to mount, but left able to stay on at an easy trot... that would be improvement , no? It is much the same."

Her brow furrows. "But Chieftains do need to make judgements. Yeah."

"Indeed, and you have a fine example to go by," Cambria nods "That is a gift."

"Chief's the best." She nods. "I'd be proud to be half the troll or Gwydion she is. I feel pretty confident about the first, it's... the second, I guess. I guess that's why I'm here. This is the most ambiguous quest I've been on, I suppose."

"Ambiguous isn't always bad," Staghorn smiles, "it means we get to wing it and make shi... ahem, we may determine the best course of action at our leisure."

"I , for one," Cambria admits, "Share your dislike for 'freeform missions', Dagmar. Procedure and protocol are not always restraints, they can be ladders to success, and barriers to help others from fall out."

"Connect with your House, Knight." A soft huff. "So, working on it."

"Maybe history lessons too," Cambria says "Do you know much of our founding myths? Of the 100 , of how Gwydion the shameful became Gwydion the honorable?" No doubt by now Dagmar has heard at least some of this.