duty calls, it calls

Did they think her a fool, thought that she wouldn't find out how they spoke of her? Gjalla had been keenly aware of the whispers and snide comments circulating behind her back, the disdain for royalty, the vilification of her character. It all had become a constant hum in the background of her life here, and they didn't even know her. She was no stranger to prejudice, but it didn't mean she would tolerate it.
 
Anger fluttered in her chest, burning in her belly as she followed the scent of vanilla and mint, smooth in her nose with milk and fresh undertones. A flash of ebony moved through the trees, and she'd chase it down if she had to. The princess sought the truth today, and Tove wouldn't be allowed to avoid it. Gjalla would rather fling herself into wildfire than be walked on by strangers.
 
Gjalla approached with a measured stride. Pale eyes held the same cold intensity she radiated with, darkened by thinly veiled irritation. She halted just a few paces from Tove. "May I speak with you?" Gjalla's voice was calm, but the tension was thick. Building.

 

---

for @Tove

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Tove had been...irritable, to say the least. She was brimming with frustration and lassitude, avoiding much interaction with anyone while still doing her daily duties. She even had been avoiding Savan, of whom she held closest to her heart so when Gjalla strode up to her, a gleam in her frozen gaze, the Kallista almost walked away. Almost.

She couldn't help but stiffen, yanking her gaze away from the wooden workings at her paws, her viridescent gaze hardening and freezing over. Her lips pulled down into a frown and she fought back a sigh. What did she want? Tove didn't take Gjalla for someone with an interest in herbs or worse, girl talk. So what was it? She looked the princess over unabashedly, taking in her own rigid figure, the she-wolf's own minty scent wafting towards her in waves. Overpowering.

Pondering her request, Tove nudged aside the makeshift waterer she’d crudely began to fashion with her teeth, giving her a curt node. "Since you asked so nicely," she started, her tone sweet, sickly sweet, despite the hardness of her face and the light tilt to her ears. "You may." She motioned with her head, expecting Gjalla to follow. She would not waste her time speaking with the Outsider, so if she wanted to talk, it would happen on Tove's time. Not hers.

She quickly stepped past and around the ebony she-wolf, giving little time for pause or protest as she took off deeper into the trees, setting a rather languid pace as she began to scan for more wood tucked away on the forest floor. She was silent, waiting for whatever Gjalla felt like she had to say.

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The woman half-expected her to say no, given the way she bristled with something akin to discomfort. Her words felt superficial, falsely friendly. The Kallista's deliberate pace did little to dissuade her.
 
The princess walked in silence beside Tove, her dark, curly fur blending into the shadows. She didn't rush to speak, allowing Tove to set the pace while she found words. The quiet, however short, was eerie as they worked through the woods.
 
Finally, she spoke, clear and steady. "I understand you have your reservations about me, Tove. The others do, too. I'm not blind to it." She remarked coolly, her voice taking on a sharper edge.
 
"But I'd prefer you didn't beat around the bush," Gjalla wouldn't sugarcoat for the sake of nobility, especially if she didn't have to. It didn't matter here anyway, they'd made that very clear. "What is it exactly about me that bothers you?"

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The silence shared between them prickled at Tove’s skin in a way that made her uncomfortable and uneasy but she did her best to brush it off, focusing on her steps and the task at hand. Not once did her turbulent gaze shift to the ebony princess beside her nor a tilt of her head and waited patiently for her to speak her mind.

When the words finally came out, Tove sighed under her breath, distaste thick in her mouth. Straight to the point, wasn’t she? Despite the urge to interject, she held her tongue and stayed patient, letting Gjalla finish and kept her pace steady, gaze glued ahead. instead of replying instantly, she pondered her thoughts, letting silence once more creep in between the two women, letting her reply steep. She scanned the grounds they walked over, peering under brush and nudging aside branches. With trial and error for the recent makeshift waterer, she’d come to discover what worked and what didn’t. And so far, there had been more of the latter.

"You have to understand, Gjalla.” Tove’s voice came out clear when she finally spoke, her own sharpness clinging to each word, its claws digging in deep and keeping hold. ”None of us were born into a life of luxury or privilege, we have to work for everything we call ours. So when a princess and her prince-” The words 'servant hound' rang deep in her mind and she moved her stare towards she-wolf with an indecipherable look, scanning over her icy features with a huff. “Just show up announced, expecting to join our ranks… Expecting to be one of us - it’s not taken lightly. I understand that you may be used to having everyone be at your beck and call, for respecting you for being born as you were." She shook her head, turning her gaze back to ground, eyeing a nearing pile of broken branches. She slowed her pace, stopping once they came upon the pile.

“I understand that you…” she shrugged with a narrow of her eyes, not offering an apology as she continued. “Are a princess. But that also makes you an Outsider. An Outsider is nothing until they show that they are worthy. I have no reason to like you until you prove to me otherwise.”

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She waited for Tove to finish, not interrupting, even when she felt the weight of the other wolf's disapproval. When Tove finished, Gjalla didn't offer immediate rebuttals or excuses. Instead, understanding. "I get that, Tove, really," she admitted, her words sharp but not defensive. She did not know Tove enough to judge her on that, nor any of them. Their stories were theirs, and she wouldn't pry for it. 
 
Gjalla did not expect to be welcomed with open arms, especially given their sudden arrival. "I'm well aware of my title, but I didn't come here expecting to be handed respect or a place among your ranks just because of who I am." Aruna taught her better than that. She had no qualms working herself up to that.

Gjalla continued a little longer with the respectful nod of her head. "I may be a princess, but I wasn't coddled and pampered. I had to prove myself in my own way, just as you have. I will do my best to do the same here." She did not seek the Kallista's approval, only to build a small rapport with her — she did not wish to be at odds with anyone.

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Just as Gjalla had quieted to give her the opportunity to speak her mind, to share her thoughts, Tove did the same. She would let the princess explain herself. Keeping herself busy, she continued to nudge through the pile they’d stopped at, ears flicking as words spilled out from the princess beside her. They had her pausing, her brows raising.

Tove was surprised by the lack of sharpness in the other she-wolf’s voice and the excuses she had been expecting. In fact, it had her looking up from her work and towards Gjalla. Her expression was neutral for the most part, the hardness of her features still present but.. Something else was there. A twinge of softness, of understanding that could have been easily missed with the blink of an eye.

While she may not have liked the princess, nor did she ever think they would be friends she could respect her honesty and the promise to do her best. Everyone would see to it that she lived up to her claims and if she failed to so… there would be little forgiveness for her.

“We expect nothing less,” she offered her own curt nod back, a soft hum in her throat. She recalled how upset Faust had been when they had first arrived, the tension that had come with their presence. The tension that still polluted the air around them. “Especially our Sévir.” Velaris was not for the weak - or the defiant and it was something that the Kallista had to remind herself of daily. It was a reminder that clung to her like a shadow, always there in the back of her mind. The thought left a bitter taste on her tongue as she began to walk again, huffing in dissatisfaction at the pile she moved on from.

“Tell me Gjalla, despite being a princess - what are your skills? Where do you think you will be most helpful?” She was sure it would not be medicine, no doubt that it was definitely not a field shared with her. Nothing about the ebony princess seemed to scream of benevolence or for a wonder of the world, no, it was a cold rigidity that surrounded her.

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The princess gave a low hum of understanding, chin tucking with a subtle nod. Velaris was no place for the weak, and its expectations demanded a resilience few could muster. She'd heard it early on when the Sévir first called a meeting within hours of her arrival to the roost. A reminder of the stringent standards that held sway over Velaris. Nothing new.
 
As they walked, the conversation veered to more pragmatic matters. Tove wanted details - to know how Gjalla would contribute. There would be no hesitation in her answer; it was a realm where she was undoubtedly confident. "Combat has always been my specialty." Gjalla replied, her tone steady. Her mind briefly flickered to a conversation with Tamir on a similar topic. 
 
"Tamir has suggested I take up rank as a Sentinel or Guardian." Gjalla added, her gaze sweeping over the darkened grove. The weight of the decision rested on her shoulders, a responsibility she seemed prepared to shoulder. She trusted the Spymaster's advice. Her path was set; now, she only needed to tread it.

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Tove kept quiet as Gjalla began to speak of what she could offer Velaris, wondering if this princess would truly succeed or not. She cared little in the grand scheme, realizing that if Gjalla were to disappear into the night, she’d not shed a tear. Would anyone, beside Vahaelarr?

She understood that could change, with time and effort. But for now, all that mattered was that the princess proved herself. Maybe, in the future, something might shift.

“Tamir is rarely wrong,” she mused with a brief glance towards the blue hued woman, looking her over with a narrow of her eyes. “Let’s hope you are not the exception.”

With that said, the Kallista’s pace quickened a bit, planning to head deeper into the forests. She cast one look behind her, nodding towards the princess. “If that is all, Gjalla, you may take your leave.” What else was there to say? Good luck? What's your favorite color? How do you like the weather? They weren’t friends and Tove had no use for a sentinel-to-be today. She had things to do and this had already distracted her.

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