View source for Firmin and Trolius talk, 4/30/2006

* Firmin is on a day off today. With only four knights it seemed for a while there that everyone would be run ragged, but since Rachel's 
  death, nothing notable has occurred and the schedule has returned back to normal.
* Firmin is lounging under a peach tree reading something written in French.
* Trolius is off at the moment, anyway
<Firmin> (It's a hot, dry, sunny day.  The past two weeks have not seen any rain.)
* Firmin wears capris and a loose white linen shirt, open at the throat.
* Firmin is barefoot.
* Trolius is dressed pretty much the same, really...
<Trolius> (I was just typinf something similar ;)
<Firmin> (hee!  We all look like we're stranded on a desert island)
* Trolius has his sleeves rolled up, too
<Trolius> (well, it's *hot* :o  And T isn't used to dryness)
<Trolius> (where is your tree?)
<Firmin> (in the orchard)
* Firmin 's soles are stained dark from walking on the dry earth. The grass is pretty dry and crunches underfoot, and grass stains are no 
  longer a concern, really.
* Firmin hears your crunchy footsteps approaching and looks up from his novel.
* Trolius is also wearing a straw hat
<Firmin> (cute!  ;D )
* Trolius waves when you look up
* Firmin sets his book face-down on his lap and smiles back.
<Trolius> good book?
* Firmin shrugs.
<Firmin> Not bad, anyway.
* Trolius nods
<Firmin> 'Le Comte de Monte Cristo'
<Firmin> It's hard to get into but once you've gotten past the first several chapters it picks up.
<Firmin> I'm not sure where it's going to go, though.  The hero has gotten himself imprisoned.
<Firmin> I suppose he'll get out eventually and wreak vengeance upon his captors, but really, it was his own naivete that got him there in 
  the first place, so he really only has himself to blame.
<Trolius> Yeha
<Firmin> Or perhaps one ought to blame the class system which denied him the advantage of an education.
<Trolius> maybe I have heard that story somewhere
<Firmin> Thank goodness the French Aristocracy was all beheaded a couple centuries ago.
* Firmin says wryly.
<Trolius> Uhh.. sure 
<Trolius> :D
* Firmin smiles slightly.
<Trolius> I'm not much of a history buff either...
<Firmin> I've been trying to catch up on what happened while I was a frog.
* Firmin explains.
<Trolius> ahh\
<Trolius> well, that makes sense
<Firmin> Some day maybe I'll be brave enough to venture across the ocean again and visit my old haunts.  But I think it might be 
  heartbreaking to see.
<Trolius> where as that again?
<Firmin> France.
* Firmin smiles patiently.
<Trolius> right
<Trolius> ...so how did you wind up *here*?
<Firmin> I wish I knew.
<Trolius> fair enough
* Trolius shrugs
<Trolius> ...
<Trolius> So how did that happen, anyway.
<Trolius> ?
<Firmin> How did what happen?  Being turned into a frog?
<Trolius> yeah. Well, I suppose it's not really any of my busines...
<Firmin> To be honest, I don't really remember.  Suffice it to say that my house was not exactly popular with the other houses because of 
  the beliefs we espoused vis a vis the Commoners.
<Firmin> I suppose a member of one of those houses must have taken offence and decided to put me in my place.
<Firmin> It might even have been someone from House Eiluned.
<Trolius> Hmm.
* Trolius grins
<Trolius> oh probably
<Trolius> damn those elitist Eiluneds!
<Firmin> Damn them all to hell.
* Firmin grins.
<Trolius> it's funny how things go, I guess...
<Trolius> And damn, what is with this weather?
<Firmin> ...
<Trolius> I never thought I would *miss* the humidity.
<Firmin> It is strange, isn't it?
<Firmin> I suppose the land misses having a master.
<Trolius> maybe...
<Trolius> but it isn't like whoever controls the fields controls *everything*....
<Trolius> We're not the only 'masters' around here.
<Firmin> No, I suppose we are not.
<Trolius> besides, it isn't like we're not taking care of the place....
* Trolius frowns, wondering what *is* going on...
<Firmin> I'm not entirely certain how it all works, but the land and its ruler were traditionally bound...
<Firmin> It does seem exceptionally strong here, though.
<Trolius> yeah... maybe
* Trolius wonders if he should write Wales and let them know, in case this does have something to do with their investigation...
<Firmin> The land didn't fare too well under the last Baron.  Many of the improvements have only occurred since she was put here, may she 
  follow the Silver Path quickly back to us.
<Trolius> yeah, but it asn't *this* bad...
* Firmin nods.
<Firmin> Then again, this may have nothing to do with Rachel's death.
<Firmin> It may just be a natural cycle.  Some current out in the ocean has shifted course, perhaps.
<Trolius> (how localized is the drought?)
<Trolius> Do they do that?
* Firmin doesn't seem convinced himself, though.
<Firmin> Apparently they do.
<Trolius> hmm
<Firmin> (The drought seems to be along the coast, and the worst struck area is Emerald Fields.  The neighbouring baronies still have 
  enough water to not turn into a tinder box)
* Trolius shakes his head
<Firmin> All the same, I wish we'd get a new Baron or Baroness soon.
<Firmin> I wish I knew why it was taking so long. 
<Trolius> :/
<Firmin> I know the situation here is rather precarious but I can't believe there's no one else as suitable for the High Queen's ineffable 
  purposes as Rachel was...
<Trolius> I don't know what's going on.  really.
* Firmin nods.
<Trolius> I get fed the occasional scrap of information, but I don't know how to put it together.
<Firmin> You'd think that, seeing as the situation *is* so precarious, she'd want to have this position filled immediately...
* Firmin murmurs aloud to himself.
* Firmin turns to look at you.
<Trolius> I can't discuss it with anyone here.... and I'm too out of touch or unimportant to hlet in on anything significant.
<Trolius> It's frustrating.
* Trolius sounds a little bitter.\
<Firmin> Well.  I won't ask what you know then.  
* Trolius sighs
* Firmin frowns slightly.
* Firmin is plainly frustrated too.
* Firmin tries not to be frustrated with you, because he knows it's not your fault. But it's hard not be a bit annoyed, when he's supposed 
  to be the Captain of Rachel's guard.
<Firmin> . o O (Well, I suppose that might change any day.)
<Trolius> ...
<Firmin> . o O (Who knows how much longer Rhydian will keep me as Captain, with that family looming over his shoulder.  And if a new Baron 
  is chosen, none of us may keep the positions we have.)
<Trolius> I think the heat is making me cranky
<Firmin> I think the whole situation makes everyone cranky.
<Trolius> the heat doesn't bloody help.\
<Firmin> I wonder if Rhydian should send for the Garou or the Mokole and discuss this weather with them.
<Trolius> Ummm..
<Trolius> If we *actually* think it is somehow our fault....
<Trolius> do we really want *them* thinking that?
<Trolius> I think it is best to leave them alone.  Especially the mokole
<Firmin> Well, they aren't my favourite people either.
<Trolius> Let sleepig monster lie, that's all I'm saying
<Trolius> The garou might be more reasonable, I don't know\
* Firmin nods.
<Trolius> but they were awfully touchy last time we talked to them about anything
<Firmin> I wouldn't say touchy.  They were friendly, but protective of their own interests.
<Firmin> Which is fair.
* Trolius nods
<Firmin> Too bad we never forged a better alliance with them.
<Trolius> but the land is a pretty major interest for them.  I'm not surew we should go running to them with admissions that we're fucking 
  it up
<Trolius> we can't do everything.
<Firmin> Who'd admit it's our fault?  We don't even know that.  It's just an old superstition.
<Trolius> *nod*
<Trolius> I guess so
<Firmin> I was thinking we'd just ask, as relative newcomers, whether this was a normal and natural cycle.
<Trolius> Sorry... I'm just not in a really otimistic mood lately.
<Firmin> Out of concern for our crops and livestock, of course.
<Firmin> And then we could draw our own conclusions from their answer.r
*** Longpig is now known as Longpig-House
<Trolius> You're probably rght... you should take it up with Rhydain.  I don't knwo if he'll go for it or not
<Firmin> Well, that's what he gets paid the big bucks for: making decisions.
<Firmin> We only offer suggestions.
* Trolius nods
<Firmin> So...
<Firmin> How is Sleet doing?
<Firmin> Has she mostly settled in?
<Trolius> ...
<Trolius> She's fine.
<Trolius> She hates the dryness though.
* Firmin nods.
<Firmin> I imagine she would.
<Firmin> . o O (She hates most everything, so far as I can tell.)
<Firmin> I'm not a huge fan of it myself.
* Trolius sighs.
<Trolius> I have to go get ready for my shift.
<Firmin> All right then.
<Firmin> Try not to get too dehydrated.
<Trolius> will do.
<Firmin> Hopefully nothing exciting will happen so you won't even have to move in your armour.
<Firmin> I feel like a rotisserie chicken while wearing mine.
<Firmin> Basted in my own juices...
<Firmin> >_<
<Trolius> if only it ddidn't chaffe so much, I'd just wear it and nothing else.... of course I'd rust it all ti hell with the sweat :p
<Trolius> anyway.
<Trolius> I'll talk to you later.
* Firmin nods.
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