conjuredskies | Vita Nova (for smartass

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Vita Nova (for smartass_captain)

It’s taken a great deal of effort and no small subterfuge to obtain the right co-ordinates. But at long last it’s done, and when Felix and Jim appear it’s beneath the clear blue skies and on the gentle green grass of central Cyrodiil. They’re in a low hollow, surrounded by hillocks that block them from view, though atop one is a small circular structure of worn white columns. The air is cool, but much milder than in Skyrim this time of year. Felix draws a deep breath and turns to Jim with a smile, gesturing toward one of the hills. He’s out of uniform and wearing his own leathers for this trip - it simplifies things.

From the top, he already knows, there’s an excellent view of the grassy slopes stretching down to the shores of Lake Nibenay, its vast waters stretching out to the horizon both left and right… and beyond that, seeming equally vast, the towering white walls of the Imperial City, shadowing the tiny isles and the full-masted ships that ply the waters around it. Only one building rises above those walls: the shining spindle of the White-Gold Tower, impossibly tall from this angle. There’s a road below, following the general line of the shore, and even from a distance the sound of horses and carts and chatting travelers can be heard. It takes a lot of traffic to keep the heart of an Empire beating.

“Welcome to the Imperial City,” Felix says softly.

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"Now that I definitely can't do."

Jim wants to watch Marcella work, enjoys watching the form and practice of all kinds of magic even though he doesn't understand it. It's fascinating to him. But at the moment it means tearing his eyes off of Felix to do so and that is much more difficult than one would think.

The captain gives Felix one more lingering sweeping gaze before he lets Felix get to work and-- almsot reluctantly-- moves to watch Marcella work.

"Felix was telling me about your enchantments on the way into town. How do they work? They're permanent, right? What do you have to give up for that kind of lasting magic? Surely there must be an equal permanent cost?"

Marcella nods to about half his questions while she lays out her materials; the rest she's pleased to elaborate on, picking up one of the little gems to hand him. "We bind souls to power them. Ones this size are usually from some sort of small bird or animal."

She explains it so matter-of-factly that it clearly isn't a big deal. Just stealing creatures' souls to power our toys, nothing unusual here. She's busy picking out one of the gems to set amid the now-glowing symbols etched into the altar in front of her. She keeps on merrily explaining while she does.

"I'll bind a soul's energies into the form of the enchantment on each kite. Some materials are more reliable about holding an enchantment, but yes, once it's attached the enchantment should last just about forever... or until the object breaks, anyway. Of course, for the type of enchantment we usually put on weapons, the energy is depleted with use, so the owners need to recharge them with soul gems occasionally. But that's as simple as touching the gem to the weapon. Anyone can manage that."

Something twists in Jim's insides at the mention of using souls to power the magics they're putting on such frivolous things. Maybe the definition is different here? He looks at the crystals as though trying to see if they had somehow been infused with or soaked in blood but they're all clear, small though they are.

The very essence of a being, captured into a tangible thing so small? Jim can hardly make sense of it.

He reaches out and intends to touch one of the stones, as if this will tell him some useful information. But Captain Kirk has no basis for sensing magic other than the odd smell that accompanies the summoning of Ghost Puppy faintly and the tingling warmth of Felix's healing spells.

And the rock feels like any other he's ever touched.

"Anyone can use these?" That doesn't sound like an invitation for their abuse, no. Certainly not.

Marcella takes no notice of him handling one of the stones: it won't do any harm and he's to be trusted. "For recharging, yes. Trapping souls into a gem in the first place takes a certain skill with conjuration. It's not really my area of expertise: I just buy them already filled."

Felix is pretending not to shoot little glances their way, trying to catch Jim's reaction. He's going to get yellow paint on his face this way.

Already. Filled.

And no one sees a problem with this?

He glances to Marcella and bites his lip. Maybe it's...just another way of utilizing a creature that's hunted. No waste. He doesn't understand magic, maybe that's what they call the....whatever it is they use to do magic. It isn't necessarily what he thinks it is. Whatever it really is. No one knows what makes someone an individual. What constitutes a soul. Not in his world, anyway.

Eat the meat, use the feathers and down. The talons. And harness some kind of energy into the stone. Surely that's all this is.

Jim sets the stone aside, trying his damndest to keep his mouth shut about things he doesn't know about and are outside his scope of moral grounds. But he doesn't have to like it.

"Pretty convenient way to circumvent the law of equal exchange." The comment slips out quietly when he sets the stone aside. On the one hand, he's glad performing lasting magic won't hurt people like Felix. On the other, he's very uncomfortable with the idea of who it is hurting.

Uh-oh.

Felix can't see Jim's face properly, but the captain's gone awfully quiet even if Marcella doesn't know him well enough to notice it. And what Felix does see of his body language is... unsettled.

That's going to be a subject they'd better not discuss in future, then. For now, Marcella's much too wrapped up in the demonstration, picking up one of the kites in her hand. With her other she touches the altar and draws a skein of blue-white light up from the patterns etched into the stone.

She twists the magic around her fingers and then affixes it to the nose of the kite with what looks like a simple twist of her fingertips. Back and forth she passes her hand from one edge to another, weaving the base of the enchantment across the blue silk wings.

"I wouldn't call it circumventing," she replies, eyes on her work. "We still need to give up something. No different to feeding a log to the fire or meat to a dog. It's fine as long as you don't use a person's soul, obviously."

Jim stands back and tries to focus on watching Marcella work. This isn't his world, these aren't his rules. It just seems like such a dangerous thing. What would stop someone from using these stones to trap--

And Marcella confirms it. Nothing. Nothing would stop someone from trapping a person's soul or any other sentient being into those crystals.

What horrible machinations use those kinds of crystals? How would anyone stop them from doing it? And do these people even want it to be stopped? It's not....it's not for him to decide. As much as it shakes Jim, he has to respect that his point of view doesn't necessarily fit in this world sometimes.

Still.

A person's soul.

He hopes it isn't...you know..actually that. Their being. Their essence. What makes them unique and individual.

"So what's this enchantment do then?" He asks finally, in his quiet and reserved tone that he usually uses on duty. Jim is trying to be diplomatic and friendly. He needn't upset Felix's family just because of his own discomforts.

"Fire resistance." Marcella takes his tone as quiet attention to her explanation, which at least has the bonus of making her happy (even while Felix tries to relax enough to concentrate on the paintbrush in his hand). "The streets - and sometimes the sky - will be full of paper lanterns and torches at this time of the year, and the last thing we need is a flaming kite coming down on our heads. This way even if one of us singes the wings, it won't matter too much."

"Marcella doesn't spare any effort even if she's only crafting a toy," Terentius comments from where he's drowsing comfortably.

"I have pride in my work," Marcella retorts lightly. The magic she's weaving has started to shift subtly in color as the pattern becomes more intricate, from brilliant blue to white, and then slowly toward a fiery red. This is an enchantment she knows quite well, and it doesn't hurt her concentration to talk. "I'm sure Jim does as well." He didn't play around with the kite he was building, and she noticed.

"That makes a fair amount of sense."

Having a flaming kite come down onto unsuspecting people wouldn't be good and at worst could cause a more serious fire. Jim can't really deny that and it's good foresight on Marcella's part.

"You could say I'm a bit competitive." Understatement of the year there, but who's going to say so? He shifts his weight onto one leg and relaxes his posture again, arms folded over his chest. It seems like for now he's gotten over his shock about the soul gem thing.

"When I heard there was a bit of a challenge in flying them I figured it would be in my best interest to make something I was familiar with."

"Oh? Your people fly kites as well?" Marcella finishes weaving the little enchantment with one last connection and a complicated twisting of her callused fingers. The intricate lines of magic glow bright and orange for a minute before slowly fading, as if they're sinking into the silk and thread to which they're bound. Marcella hands the kite to Jim; it's faintly warm now, but otherwise feels just like normal.

"Would you pass me the next one? And does this mean Felix won't get to teach you how to fly them?" She's teasing her cousin a little, smiling when she hears him huff behind her.

While they talk, Felix concentrates on the pattern he's settled on trying, painting a few stylized feathers on the kite's wings. Stylized, because he's basing them on the shape of the Starfleet insignia, mirrored and stretched to fit the shape of the kite. He paints them in golden yellow and black - but mostly gold, trying to use no more paint than necessary.

"It's not a common hobby, but I learned how to as a kid."

Jim carefully selects one of the other kites Marcella has made and inspects it. Turns it over in his fingers a moment before handing it over for her to begin her work again.

He turns to shoot Felix a grin when the other huffs. Felix must be working if he's not going to fuss and argue over the comment. And so he is. The choice of design and deftness with which he works has Jim staring, a look of wonder underlied with more than a little need to go with it.

"....That's beautiful, Felix."

"I'm glad you approve. It felt... fitting." Felix shoots him a pleased smirk, trying not to miss his place with the brush while he does. Marcella glances over and studiously refrains from rolling her eyes at the way they're gazing at each other. They're guests and she's being a gracious hostess.

She can tease Felix tomorrow.

"Supper should be ready once we're finished with the kites," she says. "I doubt you'll find it very impressive, but it's just something to keep you all on your feet before the feast tonight."

"You don't want to spoil your appetite when the Emperor's buying us all dinner," Terentius agrees dozily.

If she's only teasing him and not throwing him out of her house then it will have been a rather fortuitous night indeed.

With the day flying by like it has been, Jim hasn't really had much of a chance to brood over the date nor the time he's spending with company. Perhaps that's why the laugh he gives rings more true than it otherwise would.

"I'll be sure to save room, though with how involved Marcella makes the kite flying sound I'm sure we'll need a meal before we're dueling in the skies trying not to light our creations on fire."

The captain's hand finds Felix's shoulder and gives it a fond squeeze.

"And the food distraction should allow these to set up properly, am I correct?"

Felix leans into his touch as much as he can, smiling at his work. "Exactly. I always find you have an advantage if you can restrain yourself from getting too drunk early on..."

It won't take long to finish off the kites, and then they stop to take their time over a light supper of chicken broth before they head into the city proper. They might dawdle longer - and Marcella wonders openly if Jim and Felix don't want to rest first - but Felix points out it's Jim's first visit. There's so much he might want to see, and they should try to get a decent view of the ceremonies before the crowd fills out.

So with the afternoon winding on, all four of them join the crowds crossing the long white bridge to the city gate. No carts or animals make the crossing with them, not even horses for the nobles. Imperial cities are livestock-free zones, normally, which does wonders for the state of the streets. The paving stones are downright clean-looking. Banners have been fixed along the guard walls at either side of the bridge, streaming in bright red and gold.

They've all had a chance to change into party clothes if required: Marcella's left her spotted and soot-darkened apron behind for a russet-colored dress that still has a hint of practicality to its cut. At least compared to the more extravagant outfits around them. They're joined by a new friend at the beginning of the bridge: an Orc woman with raw features, green skin and a pair of small tusks jutting up from her lower jaw. She's wearing a dress about as nicely made as Marcella's, though it's even less showy: sturdy, no-nonsense red wool.

"Jim, this is Ushug gra-Gruzbura," Marcella says, with a heartfelt smile to the woman. "My mentor and business partner. Ushug, this is Jim Kirk. Felix brought him to visit with us for the festival."

"It's good to see you again, Ushug." Felix grins at her.

"Glad to see you finally dragged your tail home, boy. And you look like you're in one piece, too." Despite the rough tone, there's something like honest affection in the way she scrutinizes him before turning that sharp look on Jim. If Marcella's wary of new people, it's very clear where she got that habit from.

Jim's fur and leather armor may be suitable for travelling to the city, but it would hardly do for the actual festivities. He's more than willing to change into a silk shirt and actual pants for the ceremony and feasting proper. While the clothes may still not be anything like what he's used to, he carries himself with the confidence that he belongs right where he is alongside Felix and his family.

They're strolling to match Terentius' slower pace, with Felix pointing out everything that passes them by to Jim. He takes it all in in equal wonder, a look that only grows more curious when the Orc woman approaches Marcella.

"A vita nova to you, Miss Ushug." Jim doesn't hesitate in the least to approach her or to give her a bow just as sincere as the ones he had given to Felix's family. "I'm a friend of Felix and Stratos'. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Marcella tries to hide her surprise, and Usug herself blinks at the unhesitating courtesy.

"Well, aren't those some pretty manners? Almost as pretty as your face." Her eyeballing takes in how close Felix is hovering to the newcomer, and the happy smile he's wearing. "Where'd they conjure you out of?"

"He's an explorer, not a daedra, Ushug." Felix rolls his eyes and pulls a face at her.

"That's too bad. I always wanted to see if I could out-drink a daedra." Ushug gives Jim an unladylike nudge as she moves to lead them onward to the towering white gates. She's withholding judgment yet, but for now the new guy seems like he might be less annoying than he looks. Maybe. Felix did bring him home. "We'll see how well you keep up. Now let's move, Imperials. I want to actually see some fireworks this year."

Felix slips an arm around Jim's waist as Marcella takes up chatting to her mentor, and murmurs in the other man's ear, "Well done."

Jim's not sure what the pause is all about. If she's Marcella's mentor and business partner she's clearly important to Felix's family. The confusion is mild but evident on his face when he moves back to Felix's side and they continue walking.

"I enjoy a drink as well as the next person but I'm afraid my limit for consumption won't be impressive to any of you. I was never a heavywieght, and since an...incident a couple of years back I've not been able to imbibe even as much as I used to."

Felix's arm around his waist is comforting and warm and Jim can't help the find smile he gives the other. Though he licks at his bottom lip and hesitates before asking,

"Well done what?"

"Not everyone's so readily polite to Orcs," Felix says, though only once he's sure the two women are out of immediate earshot. Terentius has moved up to join in the chatter, leaving the two lovebirds to each other for a few minutes. "I know that won't matter to you, and it's not that they're bad people on the whole, just... Marcella will appreciate it. Ushug too, I think. She won't show it, but that's just her way."

At least in the capital most people are too sophisticated to sneer openly - and it helps that there are more and wealthier Orcs here than in Skyrim. The family can enjoy their stroll into the city unmolested. The two smiths cast critical eyes at the gate guards' polished armor, but Felix just tips his head back to look at the massive arch of the gate itself and shiver as they pass under it.

"I wasn't even raised here, and yet it feels like home," he admits to Jim. It's the heart of the Empire - and its pulse is in the crowded flow of people through the orderly streets. They're entering the Arena district, and said arena is visible immediately, looming ahead of them at the end of the main thoroughfare. It's no Colosseum, but then the games here were never important enough to become a focus of Imperial public relations. The outlines are similar though: a tall circular construction of stone on the lower storeys and wood on the upper, dwarfing the little buildings of the surrounding district.

There's a lot more merchandising going on along this street, and posters advertising the New Year's games starting at midnight, though Felix ignores all of that. He points out the lanterns hung along the rooftops, and the ponds covered with lotus plants. ("Just don't eat any of them, they're toxic.") Getting close to the arena reveals that it's surrounded by sweeping lawns on which various fighters are talking themselves up to admiring crowds. The family group's just going to skirt around the arena to the city's inner wall and the gate thereon.

Although by the sound of it Ushug and Marcella are really struggling not to taunt any of the would-be gladiators. Felix is more concerned about any of them hitting on Jim, and there's a possessive arm around the captain the whole way. He knows Jim doesn't care for the arena, but he can explain whatever the captain wants to know, and point out that this is where about half the kite flying takes place later.

"Why not?"

This time Jim's confusion is very evident. He clearly doesn't get it in the slightest. If anything he'd think her looks would demand respect considering she looks as menacing as a Klingon and could probably bench press him with one hand. "She seems fine to me."

The architecture of the capital doesn't escape Jim's notice. He's pleased to take it all in from what he can see from the main road. The arena is of less interest to him, though he does notice the more firm grip Felix has on him when they pass by.

Jim wonders if the combatants are dangerous or unscrupulous. Jealousy doesn't even cross his mind.

"You weren't? Is your home near Skyrim then?" Especially if that's where he and Stratos are based for their works. It would make sense to Jim if it were. "Can we see your home some day?"

"Yes, but- well, Orcs." Felix shrugs, unwilling to get too far into it with the risk of being overheard. Besides, there is a little bit of him that thinks it's kind of obvious. "Ushug could explain better... if you want to try asking her sometime."

With all the crowds gathering (plenty of people are here just to gawk, or local families killing time on the grass before the main events) it's going to take some time to skirt the arena. Felix makes sure they stay close to the others, trying to keep an eye out for pickpockets. Hopefully they'll notice he's alert and go for easier targets.

"Near the border with it, yes," he answers, while they duck around a couple of elf children dueling with toy weapons. "It's a town in the mountains. Very different to this." He gives Jim a smile. "Next time, we'll go there."

Jim's no stranger to pickpocket's himself. It helps that he's got nothing of value on him though, so he doesn't fret too terribly much over the thought of them. Just leans into Felix's one armed embrace while they walk.

There's a life in the city that thrums through them all and into the stone walk underfoot. Jim can feel it as sure as he can the warmth of Felix's hand at his waist. An energy that makes him smile. A city full of hope and promise for the coming year. A vitality that rips the colorful wrapping over the emptiness this time of year brings him and refuses to leave him voided as he is.

Jim's smile is small but genuine while they walk to try and catch up with the rest of his family. He doesn't even notice that he's worn one nearly all day.

"It sounds lovely. You know how I love that sort of scenery." He could easily be drowned out by the chatter and life surrounding them, but Felix always seems to understand him fine, regardless.

"And I love to make you smile." He's been watching Jim's reactions hopefully all day, and that constant little smile certainly hasn't escaped notice. "Maybe we can even go sledding the next time..."

Despite the barely-contained chaos around them, the inner circle wall eventually looms ahead. Just as well, since by now the walk feels as long as the one they took earlier. In deference to Terentius as well as their sore feet, the group takes a breather now and then to admire the festivities. And Ushug turns around to crack a joke or two about the two lovesick boys needing to keep a hold of themselves until later. As they approach the gate, the walls dividing the city districts become more visible above the surrounding streets, each as tall and impassable as the outer wall. Even the gate ahead is reached by a bridge over a lotus-strewn moat.

So it might seem odd that on the other side isn't an obviously military keep, but a garden. A huge garden threaded with neat paths and lined with young trees (a few older ones that seem blackened and dead) and flowers bordering well-tended lawns. Ahead, however, rises the white tower that Jim would have seen from his first glimpse of the city. It's huge, but impossibly tall; surely magic must hold it up. The paths around it are absolutely lined with guards in much fancier armor than the ones chasing a drunken Khajiit around the garden.

"That's the White-Gold Tower," Felix murmurs. "Home to the Imperial Palace, and the very heart of Tamriel. When I was small my father told me it held up the sky, and I'm not sure he was joking." Every time he sees it, he feels the weight ot its presence, like the lynchpin of the world. The Imperial world, at least.

"And as such your emperor."

He's never seen a tower designed such a way that wasn't built as part of a starbase, away from the troubles of gravity. It is quite grandiose as well as the immaculate garden. He hopes such a person (man or woman makes no difference to him) rules with compassion and inclusiveness. From what he's seen of the city, it certainly seems culturally accepting. All walks of life have been out in the streets today.

Surely that is a good sign.

Even if the man were a tyrant, there is little Jim could do about such things. And Felix seems quite reverent toward their leader. He wishes he could happily accept such authority without a second glance but after the corruption he's seen it's first nature for him to be wary of such leaders.

"I'd wax on about atmospheric pressure and gravity, but then I remember your moons and planets are dead gods and I'm not sure anything I know applies here."

"We have gravity," Felix laughs. He is a little curious what Jim would actually say on the matter, but that's for another time, perhaps. Another time when they aren't surrounded by crowds, or when Felix isn't just enjoying the feeling of walking the gardens of the capital with Jim at his side.

The shadows were already getting long when they entered the city, and when they reach the Temple District the flames are being lit on wall sconces and lamp-posts. That leaves a couple of hours to kill, so Felix soon tugs Jim away to show him around the sights of the district (mostly temples, but there are a lot of libraries and the architecture’s interesting). By the time they return they have to push through the gathering crowds to the spot Ushug’s picked out. They’re up beside a raised fountain, with steps to sit on and a clear view of the sky as well as the massive domed temple that dominates the center of the district. It also puts them nearly in direct line with the great temple doors, and the huge unlit brazier in front of them – both watched over by a complement of the Emperor’s elite guard.

There’s only one place in the plaza with room left to move, and that’s around the contingent of Thalmor taking up the best spot at the front. Felix is looking for them, but they do stick out in all that identical golden armor and the berth all the citizens are giving them. Felix’s mouth twists, even though he can’t see anything besides the guards really. It’s enough to know they’re there, where they have no right to be, looking on things they shouldn’t.

He sighs and looks instead at Jim, a smile creeping back onto his face. The crowd is buzzing with anticipation in between complaints about their feet and how hungry they are. The others have all found friends and acquaintances to chat to (the two boys will get introduced as soon as the family decides they’ve had enough romantic personal time).

“What do you think?” he asks softly. His hand finds Jim’s to curl around it. “Are you ready to see this year out with me?”

Jim is a font of questions throughout their walk through the Temple District. Who built all of these? What are they worshiping? Can we visit the libraries while we're here? Is this architecture native to Imperials or adopted from one of the other races? His gaze is constantly moving from one building to the next with the same eager drive to learn that motivates him in his own career.

The guards are easy enough to pick out from where they're standing at attention, but Jim finds himself equally as curious about the elves stationed at the front of the crowd. He's not seen their style of garb before, and with the berth the citizens are giving he has to wonder what their purpose is. A neighboring country's nobles? Some elite old money family? He nearly asks Felix about them when he catches sight of Felix looking where he is as well and not seeming terribly pleased about it. It's enough to put Jim off of asking for the moment.

He'll settle for returning that creeping smile Felix offers him and glancing down at their entwined hands. This and every year after. Jim's conviction no longer startles him, though the unease of the strength of such convictions still lingers like a fly buzzing about the back of his head.

"I think I can give it a go." The captain chuckles softly with his answer. "Who knows what sorts of trouble we'll get into this year."

Vita Nova (for smartass_captain)

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