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For all that the sun shines, it seems that the shadows of the glorious trees of the Golden City's royal garden are cool. Shadows linger deeper than they should, reflecting the mood that threatens to break into clear public eye: sullen acceptance that quiet is tenuous. Machinations from beyond are not welcome here anymore than in Midgard and Lady Stormrider finds herself worrying at a stray thread at the hem of one sleeve as she keeps pace beside the eldest Prince.
"Rest assured, my liege, all the worlds know that we hold the Tree at this time. Still…my apologies," and she gives him a fleeting side-glance. "This was to be a walk in peace, not to mull over worries well-known. What of his highness? What lingers between those ears other than musings on heroic balderdashery and the next visit to the meadery?" There's that small smile of hers, as friendly as her calmly-spoken ribbing.
Thor's smile is a fleeting once, and he chuckles at Kelda's chivvying.
"A hunt? Another rare pelt for the killer of a thousand exotic beasties?" Thor inquires, brow lifting at her impudently.
"It seems that we find ourselves with a rare moment of quiet, and I welcome it," Thor concedes, a few steps later. He walks with his arms folded across his brawny chest, head bowed in heavy thought. "Too long we've seen strange doings in Asgard. I'm glad to find us with a rare respite in our woes again."
"A respite is desperately needed," the warrior-mage agrees quietly, her voice barely above the nearby trickling of a decorative brook, its waters dancing across multi-hued stones like a captured liquid prism. "And in regards to your thoughts on a hunt, my liege, I'll have you know that my cape was well-received in Court. The men knew of the creature and the women were more than happy to appreciate the finery of its fur."
A small laugh escapes her even as she stoops in her elementalist robes to consider one bed of flowers. Bright explosions of thin petals to be found in every possible hue between carnillion and blush wave in the warm breeze and she hazards to gently bop a bloom with a fingertip. A puff of silvery pollen lifts into the wind and she smiles again, mostly to herself. "If you would have another hunt, my liege, I will gladly send word beyond the City for anyone needing a troublesome beastie removed. It does my heart good to know that others can rely on us for their safe night's sleep."
"Nah, I think we best let the quarry of the galaxy some time to recover their numbers," Thor says, his grave tone belying the twinkle in his blue eyes. "Else we depredate them all for too long. A wise hunter knows when to harvest and when to seek other game."
He glances at Kelda. "Unless your intent was to ensure you have a truely /unique/ bit of clothing, I suppose."
Rotating in place means planting a knee to the soft turf of the garden pathway as she regards Thor, needing to shade her eyes against the few sunbeams shining down through the canopy of dark leaves and from behind him.
"I would claim that my successful acquisition of the Diresmythe cape was happy luck on top of removing the creature's predatory influence on the area, my liege. Though I appreciate the compliment. It truly is a singular item, in the end," and Kelda gives him a particularly ponderous and respect-graven nod, one that might be granted to a matron of a clan. Ultra serious business nod. All it's missing is a twiddly circling of hand before her waist.
Thor snorts once, but lets the statement lie without indulging Kelda's strait-faced humor.
"Rumor has it that Lady Sif will be returning soon," he remarks, switching topics. "If not already. I am sure the Warriors Three will be most excited to have her returned to them. She leads their small band quite ably, and I expect she's looking forward to engaging in some foolish misadventure with them."
He pauses. "I wonder if we might convince her to take the two of us along," he grunts, thoughtfully.
Kelda carefully plucks one of the long-stemmed flowers in a velvety-looking sphere of flamingo-pink and saunters back to Thor's side — as much as the graceful glide that hides boots beneath flowing robe can become such a nonchalant method of travel.
"I heard tell of her return, yes. With the rumored history of your shared childhood, I see no reason by a request on your part to join in their…adventuresome shenanigans would be remiss." Some clinging dirt is brushed from a spot on her skirt, proof of her momentary kneel. "I would be the newcomer to their gathering and while they may balk, I refuse to redact my stance as proferer of cool wisdom in the heat of battle." By looping the flower's stem about her finger, the warrior-mage is able to tuck it into one of the braids crowning her head. Carefully, she eases it into place and…there, a decorative pufflet on par with a small tropical bird stuck to an alternating current. Still, it somehow works against the near-white of her hair and compliments what pale flush is found about her cheeks.
"The mortals have a word for your wisdom," Thor tells Kelda seriously, watching her draw near. "'Snark', which is somehow less imposing, yet more accurate. I think Sif will welcome you to the fold," he tells her, before she can protest. "For most of a thousand years, it's been myself and the Warriors Three for company. She will most likely to welcome another woman warrior to the fold."
"Snark." Kelda tastes the word, finding it absolutely novel to form. "Snark," she repeats thoughtfully. "I like it. It has a…sharpness that grants it the edge needed to imply its meaning." Still, she nods, for Thor beats her to any sort of disagreement on the matter of being accepted into the Warrior fold. "I would hope so. It has been some time since I too have adventured with another woman of class and skill. I look forwards to meeting her, I think." She gives Thor another wan smile, true enough by the glint in her eyes.
"Sif is courageous and virtuous. She is mightier than Volstagg, Hogun's equal with a blade, and Fandral's worst adversary when her tongue grows sharp. You will like her," Thor assures Kelda. "Few in Asgard could command the loyalty of the Three, and they would follow Lady Sif to the edge of the universe and back."
He pauses. "In fact, they have done that more than once."
Taking a step begins their meandering pace again, with Kelda taking a subtle lead simply to get the walking going once more. After all, it was a cool in the shade for her. The sunshine feels nice on bared skin, what little of it exist about her decolletage and nape of neck.
"Have they? She must have charisma in addition to these notes of wonderment you share. I presume you've gone to this edge of the universe at her side?" Her glacial-blues shift to land on the eldest Prince again, contained curiosity to be found in them. "What did you find there, if so? Surely naught but stardust swept under the rug from the creation of it all?"
"I think that a story for the Three to tell," Thor grins. "It is not mine to relay. But if Sif returns soon, you can press her yourself for the details. I'm sure it is a story the four of them will enjoy the retelling."
"If you will excuse me though, I must attend to some work for the King," Thor tells Kelda, straightening up. He inclines his head slightly to the blonde woman. "I have enjoyed this walk, however. I will see you for dinner, aye?" he inquires.
"Aye, my liege. The All-Father needs you in this time and I shall take no more of it from you both. We can discuss happy returns more over dinner." The Lady Stormrider inclines her head more deeply in return, given his higher status. "I shall wander more through the gardens, I think. There is many a hollow that I haven't uncovered and the variety of plants is astounding to me. I take my leave, my liege." Thor gets one final smile, biggest of all that plumps her apple cheeks and takes the aloofness away for a fleeting moment, and then off the battle-mage glides to the innermost maze-paths of the natural wonder contained.