CIH: A Tale of Epic Proportions - tag Noah

[Valerie Danner]

The sounds of clanging and metal screeching filled the air, along with the distinct smell of burning rubber and charred meat mingling in the already unpleasant air. It was a horrible place to raise a child but the place was already littered with little ones running around, chasing each other and playing with the wooden swords they had carved themselves.

Valerie bumped into one of them on the way up to the head's tent, her own metal sword bumping into the young boy's wooden one in the exchange. He looked up in awe at the sword before running away to tell his friends about it. Valerie smiled and continued to walk up to where her brothers and father were discussing the upcoming war.

The guards up front nodded at her before parting the curtained doorway for her to enter.

"Just the soldier I was looking for."

Valerie looked to the chief and raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to use that tone with me, Dalton. I already washed your jockstrap twice and it still isn't clean." She removed her headgear and set it under her arm. Her eldest brother elbowed her in warning to which the chief shook his head at.

"No, no...let her speak to me that way. Builds character."

Valerie rolled her eyes at the condescending tone the chief, and also her supposed 'betrothed' spoke in. They then continued to speak strategy and Valerie kept quiet throughout most of it, only giving her input when needed.

Apparently their ally was sending in a representative to 'help', which could only mean they were going to give their own strategy, no...force their own strategy on them and expect them to obey.

She didn't agree to the plan but she knew any objection from her personally would be shot down so she kept quiet. But her silence meant she was going to be the one to interact with the representative.

"And they'll be here in a few hours so why don't you pretty yourself up and invite him over to your quarters?" Dalton smirked, to which her father twitched in anger. She saw her second eldest brother grip their father tightly to stop him from moving any further.

Well, at least she knew her father hated the bastard as much as her sometimes.

She gave Dalton a bright smile and nodded. "Right away sir." She turned and left the tent with a frown.

All the way back to her small home on the outskirts of the camp grounds, Valerie grumbled about how her mother was demented to think the union between her family and the chief's was a good idea.

Once at home, she cleaned herself up and put on a clean light blue dress and let her mother braid her hair neatly. She didn't bother with any rouge because she wasn't about to be a sellout. This representative was going to be second-guessing her tribe's war strategies. He didn't deserve her at her best.

When her brothers and father came home, they were welcomed with a clean house and a hot meal to be eaten once the representative came.

If he came.

[Noah Washington]

In lore, first born sons were always important. They were typically born and raised to fill their father's position at his time of passing. Wherever they were stationed and whatever their tasks were, those would fall on the first born son. When Noah's father died abruptly in battle, he had no choice - they all looked to him as if in an instant he had become a great warrior akin to his father. He had the clan leader on his side when people doubted him. And from the demise of his father, he somehow rose to do exactly what he was supposed to.

He fiddled with the strapping to the gauntlet on his right hand, tinkering with the schematics of its intricacy. What it kept hidden was important, and he knew that; "You were saying?"

"It'll take most of a day, I figure." Said the voice of his mother, quietly and cautiously.

"It'll take half." Noah replied, rolling his shoulders back. He double checked the connections of the leather-bound attire against his chest. It wasn't his usual choice - it wasn't protective enough, he denoted - but the keeper suggested it looked less ragged and a little more... Presentable.

"Do you know where you're going?"

"Please," He interjected, running his hand along the flat of the blade before sheathing it, "I have my orders."

"Son... You know I worry." His mother admitted. Since the death of Noah's father, she'd never been the same. She still had two boys to fret for.

"I know," He said, stepping towards her and taking her hand gently. He offered it a squeeze, catching her eyes in his own, "If I'm not back by fourth fall, Joshua's going to raise an army." Noah chided, laughing briefly in an attempt to raise a smile on his mother's face. He caught the side of her mouth curling slightly, and that was enough for him.

Finally, he tucked the short blade tucked into its holster on his back and the shiv against his thigh. "I'll see you soon." He promised, pressing his palm against her cheek for a moment or two. He leaned in towards her and pressed his lips against her forehead.

As he walked away from the village, he was momentarily joined by his younger brother and, surprisingly, their clan leader. Noah explained the plan. Come after him in four days if he didn't return. He couldn't be too careful when it came to situations like these.

"Do you recall what I told you?" Their leader asked. Noah caught his eye and felt as if he were under scrutiny. With a dazed look in his eye, he panicked over every detail given and wound up empty handed. "I don't want to have to remind you that this is delicate. If you see a way in, use it."

"Oh, that?" Noah asked, a blank expression following the dazed one. "I know that."

A short grumble escaped their leader, and he looked out at the landscape. "He has a daughter." And with a forceful shove on Noah's shoulder, he was forced down the path again.

A daughter? Why would he care about something like that?

At any rate, by nightfall he had reached his destination. His eyes curiously scanned the place in question. Whatever this was about, it must have been important. But Noah didn't figure himself for a very eloquent diplomat.

[Valerie Danner]

Valerie stepped out of her home and looked to the sky, sighing at what she was supposed to do in a few more minutes when the representative was supposed to come by. Her hand slipped through the hidden pocket on her dress and smiled when her fingers wrapped around the blade she had put in there...just as a precaution.

She could hear her brothers complaining inside, asking when they could eat and she shook her head with an affectionate smile. Those impatient pigs.

Her eyes roamed the campsite before she frowned at the blonde head that peeked over a particularly small tent. She knew everybody on the grounds and none of them had a head of hair like that. Not here.

She blew out a quiet breath through her lips and walked over, prepared to face whatever danger this blonde haired man would throw their way.

He was dressed unlike any of the people that was there. Compared to him, they were all a bit...shabby. Then again, her tribe had never put emphasis on looks anyway. Or so she thought as she smoothed down her dress.

"You're the representative." She stated simply, standing her ground and elongating her neck to present fearlessness, according to her mother. It certainly must look awkward especially with her in a dress. It always worked when she was in her army garb.

[Noah Washington]

It was a different environment; he felt that the moment he stepped in there. Whoever was around was glancing over him with clear interest, and yet they tried not to make it clear that they were staring. Short bursts of eye contact. Was this how they greeted guests? Leaving them out to flail on their own? He was surprised no one had come at him with threatening words or worse - weaponry.

"I am." Noah replied, turning to look at whoever spoke to him. Was that all she was going to say? Noah folded his arms before his chest, briefly tightening his hands around himself with a squeeze. He wasn't going to greet her. Especially when she wasn't going to offer the same courtesy. So he looked away. "Your people fight in those things?" He asked. The dress, of course, had caught his attention.

[Valerie Danner]

His curt response made Valerie nod. All business, it's what she looked for in an ally. But his next sentence made her frown slightly before she plastered a smile on her face.

"Yes. There's just so much room to move in and we can hide our weapons everywhere." She replied before dropping the smile and also her arms.

"My family is waiting for you in there. What should I announce you as?" She asked, sweeping the hem of her dress away from her so she could walk. It was completely troublesome being in a dress but what could she do? She had to look pretty so as to create a comfortable setting for the representative.

Too bad nobody accounted for her mouth.

[Noah Washington]

"Clearly." Noah replied, giving her an overviewing glance. Nothing overly threatening, nothing that would worry him. His weapons were clearly in view. Why conceal them when he could have the strength and stance of weaponry intimidation.

What was he to be announced as? The blonde wasn't overly used to such formalities, but he kept a stoic upkeep. "Noah is fine," He replied finally, "It's my name, after all." With a slight raise of his hand, he motioned towards the building in question. He would follow as she walked, comfortable if a sense of silence fell between them.

Despite his Keeper's wishes, he had no interest in her; "Are you the daughter? The one for the supposed chief?" He asked anyway, a touch of interest and even humour to his tone.

[Valerie Danner]

Valerie noticed the look he gave her and felt a tad violated. Of course, the reason why she was even in this dress was to be violated, wasn't it? All in the name of war, and all that.

She was surprised her father didn't behead the chief right then and there when he suggested Valerie whore herself out to the ally just so they would agree not to change her tribe's strategies.

"Valerie. Pleased to make your acquaintance." She curtsied, a little roughly, as her post as a warrior didn't much ask for her to be lady-like.

His question brought a frown to her face. "My reputation precedes me, I suppose?" She answered gruffly before she cleared her throat and stepped to the side, gesturing for him to follow her. "My family is expecting you, please." She swept her hand to the direction of her home.

[Noah Washington]

Noah pressed his lips together, holding back any form of laughter when she attempted a curtsy. She obviously wasn't cut out for such niceties. Watching them didn't suit him either; the women he lived around weren't much for the preservation of their own looks. They were more interested in straight up killing people.

Violent. Yeeaah.

"Something like that." He replied quietly, taking her answer to mean that the things he'd heard were right. He was quickly making his mind up about her if she was really willing to be given to someone like that.

"As you wish." He said, letting the conversation drop there as he walked in the direction allocated. Was he supposed to walk in on his own? Or would she go first and announce him? How did things work in this place. He wanted to ask if there was anything in particular he should know, but instead he let the thought go as he carelessly walked inside.

Meeting the family? Great...

[Valerie Danner]

She snorted softly at his response, rolling her eyes a little as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Once he started moving, Valerie turned around to head over to her house, knocking on the door and making sure none of the boys were doing anything stupid.

"The representative is here. His name is Noah." She shrugged before stepping aside and letting him walk in first. Under the light of the house, she noticed that her fingers were grimy and for the first time in her life, she actually cared about it.

Frowning slightly, she stepped into the house after him and went to the kitchen to help her mother.

"Quite the looker." Her mother teased with a bump of her hip. "Mother...really." Valerie rolled her eyes and placed the flagons of mead on to a tray and brought it out to the dining table, sitting down right beside her eldest brother who gave her a small smile and knowing nudge. She sneered at him.

"Welcome to our humble abode, Master Noah." Her father nodded at the guest from the head of the table.

[Noah Washington]

Noah wasn't sure what to expect when he walked in. He stood there, to the side of the doorway and took in the surroundings. A lot of boys. Brothers, he guessed. At least it wasn't all lost on him, though he imagined her relationship to them differed greatly as opposed to his relationship with Joshua. She was gone pretty quickly, and Noah took whatever seat was readily available.

He more or less glanced at the people who were looking at him, before someone readily spoke to him. Noah looked to who was clearly the head of this household, offering a small nod in return as a sign of acknowledgement. "The pleasure is all mine." He replied. If there was anything taught to him, it was how to talk in these kind of situations. "You have my thanks for the invitation. I trust by the end of this, any outlandish issues between groups will be sorted." That was the point, after all.

"But that is a topic for a later time, I assume?" He asked. It was his way of getting information without being so... Direct.

[Valerie Danner]

Valerie hid a smile of amusement at how polite he was. Briefly, she wondered exactly where he had come from.

Her father gave a laugh she recognised as amused respect as he nodded.

"But now, indulge me in this feast my beautiful wife has prepared for us. Do you say grace?" Valerie and her brothers looked up at their father with odd looks on their faces before looking back down to their food.

They weren't a religious bunch so the question was quite odd to them. Valerie figured it was out of courtesy. She also hoped Noah would say no.

[Noah Washington]

With polite words exchanged, Noah found himself surprised at the thought of grace. He knew some people decided it was the appropriate thing to do before eating, but they would be fortunate to know his family did not. Or was it a test? Perhaps they did here... Noah took a moment longer before he mentally shrugged the thought off. Better to be himself.

"Admittedly, no." Noah said finally, "My brother would rather race to see who finishes first while my mother looks on with embarrassment." He laughed at the thought, hoping the story would win him some points in a house clearly full of brothers. He just hoped the lack of mention of a fatherly figure in his household wouldn't have him looked down on or worse, provoke questions. "But if you do, I won't act against it." He backtracked, realising internally that he may be scrutinised at every move.

Perhaps he was being paranoid. But he was trying to be a good representative.

[Valerie Danner]

Noah's response illicited a round of sniggers from the boys with a small affectionate grin from both her parents. That might prove rather difficult. The blond definitely had charm.

"You'd do well to let the guest eat first." Valerie's father announced to the boys who immediately made faces and frowned but held back as their mother scooped up some potatoes and strips of the meat for the representative.

Once he was served, the boys attacked the food, leaving close to none for Valerie. Just like always. Usually, she wouldn't mind not eating so much but today had not been a good one.

"Would you like some of mine, love?" Valerie's father whispered under the raucous the boys were making. She looked up and grinned at her father, shaking her head before scooping up the remainder of the food on to her plate.

Dinner passed pretty quickly with Valerie not entirely chatty, something her brothers took to teasing mercilessly about, given the fact that she usually yelled over them to make her points across. Even with her parents warning them not to, they ribbed quietly and only when their parents weren't paying attention.

She found herself trying not to look over at the blonde and she was successful half the time. Once dinner was done with, Valerie was instructed to bring Noah out into the woods so they could have a bit of privacy. Her brothers got the hell beaten out of them when they started to tease her. But Valerie and Noah were already halfway out of the house so she didn't really have to deal with it.

"I'm sure your dinners aren't half as...entertaining as tonight's." Valerie stated, her hand once more disappearing into the folds of her dress to make sure the blade was still there. The walk out into the woods was thankfully brightly lit by the moon but she could never be too careful.

"Especially given that you don't have a father to referee the rationing."

[Noah Washington]

Noah idly waved his hand to the side, shaking his head in tandem with the action. "Don't stop on my account." He insisted. He was a guy anyway and he could fight with the best of them when it came to food. Not that it mattered that he said anything, but at least he'd put it out there. Earning points and all that.

The dynamic of this family was definitely not something the blonde was used to. But they wouldn't have picked him for this if he didn't know how to blend and co-exist. But he audibly breathed a sigh of relief when he realised they were leaving the house again. He followed along, glancing over his shoulder at the sounds in the house behind him as they made their way out. Maybe it was a culture thing.

"You noticed that, did you?" Noah asked, looking back at her when she mentioned his father. But far be it for him to fall for something to promote weakness. "I don't need a refereeing father. I'm the eldest son. I took his place in respect." He didn't mean to get offended by the statement, and he was doing well to keep that aspect of his personality in check. At least, until he spoke again; "Being sold as a perspective wife. That must be respectful."

[Valerie Danner]

Valerie raised an eyebrow when Noah still put on his charm even after her father had already issued the warning to her brothers. Her mother was lapping it all up, it seemed. Brilliant.

Outside, Valerie seemed to also breathe a sigh of relief at getting away from the ruckus, even though she was usually the largest contributor to said ruckus. Tonight seemed to just be a night of firsts.

Noah's tone of voice when he responded made Valerie frown a little. He was trying to shield something, that was obvious, but the brunette didn't know exactly what so she kept quiet.

That was until he said his next piece. A smirk came upon her face before she let out a small chuckle. "I won't dignify that with an answer." She answered crisply though her eyes crackled with anger. Thankfully they were walking some distance away from each other and the blonde couldn't see.

She still believed that the union would be more beneficial to her and her family than it would for Dalton. She may not have found a way for that to be, but she knew she will. This blonde representative didn't need to know that.

"I'm here to offer you a treaty of sorts. One that would benefit both of our tribes." She started, not wanting to divulge in any personal matters anymore. "We have a common enemy. We both know we want them destroyed. All we have to do is work out one strategy that would take them down and you and your tribe know that our numbers are bigger than yours. All we need from you is to join us."