Two Soliders A Talking

It's quiet when Rory wanders into the bar. Currently he's dressed in military fatigues with a rifle over his shoulder. The insignia appears to be for Ireland but the ranking isn't one that Tavi would be familiar with. From his expression he didn't expect to be there. And usually when he is in the bar he's dressed as a civilian. He gives it a tired look over and then heads to the bar. He orders up a sandwich and beer before taking in the other patrons.

When he spots Tavi he gives the other man a smile and a nod. Then on a bit of a whim he takes his food and goes over. "I keep on seeing you around, but one of us seems to be coming or going all the time."

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Tavi certainly knows military fatigues when he sees them--he's learned that much in Milliways--but he is not versed enough in the different countries' customs to know what any given insignia means.

For his part, Tavi is actually notwearing armor or even a uniform today. He's still in red and blue--which he probably will be most of the rest of his life--but it's still civilian wear.

"Hazard of the job, I expect," Tavi notes dryly. "Even with this place's benefits."

"The job is probably over-rated anyway," he says cheerfully. "Mind if I sit?"

"It is most definitely overrated." Irritation flashes through Tavi's eyes. After all, his father and grandfather died because everyone seems to think it's the greatest job ever.

It isn't. It's terrible--at least for anyone who cares.

He waves at the seat. "By all means, especially if you need to eat." Which, in his experience, soldiers usually do.

He recognizes the irritation as he sits down. He's seen it on a lot of people before. Usually on those who have to deal with stupid people.

"Dare I ask what your job is?" he asks lazily. "And I do. I was expecting to eat rations in a warehouse. This is much better than that."

"Crows, yes," Tavi says with a sigh. "This place is much better than typical fare at home right now."

Because he is not taking advantage of being First Lord to avoid the croach plan. (Milliways is different and doesn't count.)

"Currently? Unfortunately metaphoric wrestling with politicians to keep them from completely sabotaging clean-up from the war I've been fighting." The mention of a warehouse, however, has him tilting his head. "Stakeout?"

Rory starts a bit at Tavi's exclamation. He's not used to someone using crows as a curse beyond someone in his family. Though usually in his family it's 'damn crows' in regards to the crows that live around them doing something stupid. Like calling someone 'poopy-head'.

He takes a bite of his sandwich listening to Tavi talk. "Ahh... politicians. I hear all sorts of interesting stories about them from my brother-in-law and sister about them." Rory shrugs. "Something like that."

Tavi notes the startled look and wonders; most people don't find it common, but they also don't react quite like that. Interesting. But he only smiles wryly.

"If politicians are not your problem, be grateful," he advises. "Do your brother-in-law and sister have to deal with them much?"

(No, he does not comment on the 'something like that.' He was a Cursor once.)

"Oh, believe me, I am. Calvin's king of Eire. My sister, Talia, had the unfortunate luck of falling in love with him."

Then he continues along in a bright cheerful voice, "Though, Talia's not allowed to talk to politicians any more."

Well then.

That's interesting.

Tavi just raises an eyebrow, trying to hold back laughter. "Why isn't she?" (He also ignores the 'unfortunate luck' comment, because he's fairly certain this is an accurate assessment.)

McCallums have a healthy disrespect for royalty and people like that. They've had it for thousands of years. Though Calvin's okay.

"She punched the ambassador from Rus in the face for being a ... I'm not sure if it's translatable out of Gaelic. Um, for being a 'piece of a rotting corpse that not even the crows or worms would eat'. I think that's about right. And then stole his drink and walked out of the meeting."

Edited 2014-10-21 17:14 (UTC)

Tavi blinks for a moment, then just cracks up--full blown, deep belly laugh, head back and smile on his face wider than he usually gets to have.

"Great bloody furies, I wish we had a word in our language for that," he gets out after a moment. Of course, if there were such a term, Kitai would probably use it at an idiot and-- well, actually, they might try to call her out and he'd just get to watch her handle it. He's fine with that. "That kind of insult--and follow-up--takes style. So is she not allowed, or has she just refused?"

"It was unilaterally decided by various government officials that, even though she's the queen, Talia's energies and talents would be better spent in other occupations that require a less delicate touch," Rory says with a complete straight face. "So, they put her in charge of the army."

He takes a swig of his drink, non-alcoholic for even though he could hold his drink you don't drink on duty.

Well, this particular commander definitely approves of Rory being conscious of not drinking on duty. Not everyone has that sense of responsibility.

The ending to that story just makes Tavi laugh even more, though. "Did she appreciate this unilateral decision or did they pay for it?" Because yes, he did properly interpret 'various government officials' as 'her husband.'

"Oh, I think she might have done some of it on purpose to cause this unilateral decision. But you didn't hear that from me."

He waves a pickle. "To be fair I probably would have done the same thing had I been her. That particular ambassador was a bit of a prat."

The pickle is bitten in half before Rory asks, "So, are these politicians trying to claim credit or red-tapping everything for you?"

Tavi laughs again. "She sounds fun, your sister." And she does. It sounds like something various members of his family would do, given half a chance.

Actually, as he thinks about it, they have done so. "I'm quite familiar with the behaviour," he says, wryly cheerful. "My family is fond of it when given proper justification."

The question makes Tavi growl. "It is nigh impossible for them to claim credit, and if I understand the term red-tape, they aren't entirely capable of that either. They're just giving me headache after headache politically trying to block my ability to get things done." It's a fine difference, but there nonetheless.

"Talia's great fun. All my siblings are. Grady's a bit on the mellow side, but you should see him with a rake and trowel. He took out a rabid drake with that."

He groans a bit. "Oh, I hate that. It's one of the few things that gets Calvin really to drink. Policy groups and committees and, digging up obscure laws that no one's followed for three hundred years but are still on the books. They actually tried to use that to prevent him from marrying Talia because of the ancient custom of McCallums never taking a title."

Rory doesn't add anything to that because Tavi's smart enough to know how that ended.

"Lots of long speeches too, I bet?"

Tavi flashes a grin at Rory. "A friend of mine was similarly successful with a spade about ten years ago." Good old Fred. It was good to see him again; if Tavi has the time, he'll try to see the new family.

Rolling his eyes, Tavi agrees, "Something like that. There haven't been issues of old laws yet--not until things are settled--just trying to be stubborn. Not too many long speeches yet, though, mostly because it's still military enough that they're my meetings. Someone talks too much, I cut it off." Dealing with the Senate proper will be much harder. He's enjoying the chance to override idiots while he still can.

He tilts his head at Rory, studying him with no little curiosity. "Custom, or law?"

"Mostly custom. Royalty has been offering my family nobility titles since... forever and we've always told them to shove up where the sun doesn't shine. We technically can accept them. I mean, I'm a knight, but that's only because it's my rank in the army," Rory says.

"But we don't so we're not beholden to any ruler. My family has helped put quite a few people on the throne and taken them off." He gives a bit of a wolfish smile as he says that.

Tavi regards Rory thoughtfully. It's an attitude he can understand, not wanting to be beholden to anyone. He's always understood that. On the other hand, he was, to Gaius, for many years--but by his own choice, to some degree at least, and--

Well.

"Why?" he asks curiously. Meaning why do they interfere with who's on the throne.

"Because they ask us for help to put them on the throne and because if they're bad for the land and the people we'll take them off the throne."

He gestures a bit with his hands. "Eire's health is tied into the ruler. If they're a good ruler than she prospers, if it's a bad one then she doesn't. My family has been charged with being protectors of Eire. So, we have to keep an eye on the king."

It's a bit of a strange relationship, in a way it sounds like Rory's talking about Eire as if it were a fury.

"We put the Daly's on the throne about three hundred years ago. We helped put one king on the throne and to make sure we couldn't take him off he killed the ones who helped him. Unfortunately Ciar missed a McCallum. She ... didn't take it too well..."

Tavi can easily infer that it ended in a horribly bloody mess with lots of death... but not on the McCallum side.

In a lot of ways, no, it's not strange. Actually, it's not strange at all, especially to Tavi. If Gaius Primus did it, surely someone else must have thought of it.

In point of fact, Tavi raises an eyebrow. "Doesn't every realm follow that pattern?" he points out. "That's what good and bad leadership do." He is thinking far too literally, of course.

Tavi actually finds the attitude in Rory rather interesting, as it is very much part of the Gaius family's attitude towards Alera, in that they absolutely consider themselves the final sword and shield of the Realm if it comes to it. But then the difference in it... "Your family's never held the crown themselves?"

His eyes narrow slightly. That sounds rather like the methods of some people he disliked very much while they were still alive to cause him trouble. "No. I wouldn't expect her to." Besides, assassinating family is a touchy subject for him.

"Oh sure. But when I say tied to the land, I mean tied to the land. If the king is good and healthy the land is too. More fruitful, better weather. If the king gets sick or is a bad king, the crops start going bad, the animals don't produce as many or as healthy babies... things like that. They could be lousy leaders, but as long as they try hard and work to make the kingdom better, they're fine."

At that suggestion Rory gives Tavi a wide eyed look of shock as if he'd grown three heads, "Why would we want the crown? Are you insane? We've got enough problems without having the crown as a distraction."

It really is a sadly popular method of dealing with people you dislike in noble circles. "Yeah..." he shakes his head.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Two Soliders A Talking

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject