[Liliasโs gifts arrive later than is traditional, owing to an ill-timed winter coldโbut after her recovery, she chooses to deliver her holiday presents in person. Tucked into a gift bag stuffed with colourful paper are a bottle of spiced red wine and a pair of large, very warm-looking socks, striped in blue and green. Threads of silver appear to be woven in bands around the socks at various points.
Printed on a small card tucked into the bag is a QR code which will bring up a short voice message:]
Kaladin,
I hope you have found some time to enjoy yourself over the local holiday season. I know you have little love for sweet drinks, but as spiced wines go, I found this one quite dry. In my own land, it is traditional to hand-make winter gifts, so Bel and I spelled the socks to keep themselves warm, clean, and dry. They should serve you when you need to spend long days on your feet.
Thanks Lilias and Bel too These are well-made I intend to wear them on my shift tonight
( he's rarely, if ever, received gifts so thoughtful from his peers. and she ties them back to a conversation that clearly stuck with her, which makes the spiced wine a terribly sweet addition.
he... likes them. he never thought he'd get excited about socks. )
Will you share the wine with me We could drink it over our next cafeteria meal
[When she receives his thank-you messages, Lilias beams. Itโs always nice to know a gift has been well received, but from Kaladin, who always seems so gruffly sincere, the thanks is especially warming. After the last few weeks sheโs had, the pleasure is more than welcome.]
I would be very happy to. Though if we wished to do it there, I think we would need to be surreptitious about it. Technically speaking, liquor is not actually allowed on the premises.
[What a dreadful world they live in, where theyโre not even allowed to enjoy a glass of wine in the place where theyโre required to live. Obviously this doesnโt stop her from drinking in the privacy of her own room, but she suspects they might hear from their superiors of they opened a bottle of wine in the middle of the cafeteria.]
Thank you for the scarf, also. It's very nice. I shall certainly wear it. I made sure not to tell Bel that you called him a chicken again, but he's still coming around to the idea of wearing clothes.
( sitting on the side of his cot, kaladin lifts a leg to flare his toes in his new sock. warm, soft, comfortable, and the material will wick sweat and keep him dry. wow. )
What are they going to do if they catch us Throw us in jail We do a lot for them for very little return The least they could do is look the other way
( ... or, you know, half a bottle each... )
You can tell Bel a man has to have a uniform to upkeep It's something to take pride that isn't a back of feathers
About the scarf Lilias I didn't pick it Or I picked the colour but a woman helped me with the rest
They probably will look the other way, as long as we don't cart out an entire bottle of wine in the middle of a common area.
Perhaps pour it into something more acceptable before you leave your room. You could put it in a jug and pretend it's just juice.
[Never before has Lilias had to go to these kinds of lengths just to enjoy a bit of wine over a meal. Before she got here, she'd never even heard of a "legal drinking age", let alone imagined that adults expected to put their lives on the line wouldn't be allowed to drink even while off the clock.]
I'll tell Bel what you said, but I have my doubts about whether it will sway him. He says they look awkward to fly in.
In any case, you don't need to confess to me about availing yourself of a second opinion while shopping. I didn't make the socks, either. I just wove the spells into them. It's still nice that you made the effort.
[Sebastian almost certainly has a jug. And if he doesn't, asking him to find one will certainly be much easier for Kaladin than just finding one himself. There are benefits to having a housebroken demon living on-site, apparently.]
True enough. The next time someone throws a gala, I shall insist that he wear them.
[The nice thing about Bel being her familiar is that she has the final say if they ever disagree, and she has no qualms about insisting that he wear cute little bird clothes for a party, even if he doesn't want to.]
And if somebody does throw a party, you can fiddle with that fashion upgrade feature in your chip, assuming you've installed it. I still can't believe it isn't magic, but it does work.
Though, what makes you say women's clothing is more expensive than men's? Were you looking at other things before you moved on to scarves?
[Surely the scarf vendor didn't have Men's silk scarves and Women's silk scarves. How can you gender a strip of fabric?]
( a gala. kaladin snorts, enjoying their shared joke. never in his fucking lifeโ )
I haven't installed anything on my chip Least of all a fashion upgrade I don't want them messing around with my head any more than they already have If I can't pick anything nice out in person I'm storming sure I wouldn't be able to digitally either
The scarves were different prices The material was different too Less seasilk and more plant-based and something that felt knit
[He thinks itโs a joke, but someone threw a gala for Outsiders like two weeks after Lilias first showed up and she had absolutely nothing to wear. No style chip upgrade, no nothing. It was a real problem. She had to get a rental.]
Perhaps the people of this world think only ladies care about wearing nice things. Certainly the examples of male fashion in this city havenโt struck me as especially diverse.
I think youโre the wise one in this case, regardless. I got the style upgrade and then for at least an hour had to endure a dialogue window stuck in the middle of my field of vision, telling me it was โdownloading.โ I could hardly see a thing until it was done.
( jfc a rental... i'm so sorry those dirty bastards did that to you, sweetie... )
My outfits wear me Not the other way around I don't want my implant to do the same
My friend would be revolted by the men's styles here He tries to look flouncy and keep up with the latest fashions I never understood it but you're right Women aren't the only ones who care
[Damn, I didn't know Kaladin and Liem were friends.]
I can't pretend to really appreciate the fashion trends in this city regardless. The plug suits we're provided epitomize just about everything I dislike about what people here think makes acceptable clothing.
[She will continue to wear normal clothes over her suit whenever she's required to wear it, no matter how destroyed the outerwear might get.]
What kind of clothes were normal where you lived? Do you find you end up wearing similar things here?
[Lilias and Kaladin gripping hands in shared disgust of the plug suits.]
Sounds like sensible attire to me.
You requested your uniform from your own land, even though you've been conscripted into a different military? Or was it already here, when you first arrived?
When I was brought here, the only item that was brought with me was my sword. I was glad to see it, even if I haven't used it in a long time.
I hadn't expected a uniform might hold sentimental value, but I've also never been a soldier.
[And she comes from a land of wilderness and city states, rather than from some lofty country like Cheliax or Taldor. Varisia has no official army or even really national pride, as such.]
Oh? I won't turn down a sparring partner, if you're interested. I could use the practice.
[It's been well over a year at this point since she used that sword against a real foe. Though she's been using the months since her arrival to attempt to regain some of the condition she'd lost after her leg injury, she knows she's not at the level she was even two years prior.]
It's a fencing blade, though, not a cutting sword. Would I be correct in assuming you favour a different weapon?
[Given that Bel can not shapechange into weaponry, Lilias assumes Kaladin means that his spren is something like a familiar. She can't recall seeing such a thing any of the times she encountered him, but perhaps it was always in the form of an object.]
I can take one.
[Probably. She can probably figure out how to take a picture.
After several minutes, the image finally arrives: a delicate-looking silver rapier lying atop slightly-rumpled blankets, next to its black leather sheathe.]
The blade is a little over a metre long. But you and Syl are probably better off seeing it in person, regardless.
[It isn't as though they could spar without being in the same place anyway.]
That's a beautiful sword It looks like it's made for thrusting
( lowers his hand to his side as he stares at the picture, the idea forming from mist. syl doesn't struggle with her creative mind, forming a perfect replica of lilias' rapier. it's a bit flat, however, and kaladin agrees: )
It's coming together but you're right Seeing it and holding it is better than looking at it on a screen You should have a proper opponent in no time
[Lilias beams like a proud parent when Kaladin compliments her sword. It is beautiful, yes. For all that she hasn't used the sword in battle in quite a while, she's still very attached to it.]
I have some experience with the smaller varieties, but a full-sized spear? No.
But I will gladly introduce you to my sword when we see each other next.
[They do still have that wine to drink, after all.]
[So, he wants to see her use a short spear? Hopefully he's not disappointed; even in her prime, she never had the passion for the spear that she did for fencing.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
01/01
Printed on a small card tucked into the bag is a QR code which will bring up a short voice message:]
Kaladin,
I hope you have found some time to enjoy yourself over the local holiday season. I know you have little love for sweet drinks, but as spiced wines go, I found this one quite dry. In my own land, it is traditional to hand-make winter gifts, so Bel and I spelled the socks to keep themselves warm, clean, and dry. They should serve you when you need to spend long days on your feet.
Best wishes,
Lilias
@ SHASH
These are well-made
I intend to wear them on my shift tonight
( he's rarely, if ever, received gifts so thoughtful from his peers. and she ties them back to a conversation that clearly stuck with her, which makes the spiced wine a terribly sweet addition.
he... likes them. he never thought he'd get excited about socks. )
Will you share the wine with me
We could drink it over our next cafeteria meal
@hex
I would be very happy to. Though if we wished to do it there, I think we would need to be surreptitious about it. Technically speaking, liquor is not actually allowed on the premises.
[What a dreadful world they live in, where theyโre not even allowed to enjoy a glass of wine in the place where theyโre required to live. Obviously this doesnโt stop her from drinking in the privacy of her own room, but she suspects they might hear from their superiors of they opened a bottle of wine in the middle of the cafeteria.]
Thank you for the scarf, also. It's very nice. I shall certainly wear it.
I made sure not to tell Bel that you called him a chicken again, but he's still coming around to the idea of wearing clothes.
no subject
What are they going to do if they catch us
Throw us in jail
We do a lot for them for very little return
The least they could do is look the other way
( ... or, you know, half a bottle each... )
You can tell Bel a man has to have a uniform to upkeep
It's something to take pride that isn't a back of feathers
About the scarf Lilias
I didn't pick it
Or I picked the colour but a woman helped me with the rest
no subject
Perhaps pour it into something more acceptable before you leave your room. You could put it in a jug and pretend it's just juice.
[Never before has Lilias had to go to these kinds of lengths just to enjoy a bit of wine over a meal. Before she got here, she'd never even heard of a "legal drinking age", let alone imagined that adults expected to put their lives on the line wouldn't be allowed to drink even while off the clock.]
I'll tell Bel what you said, but I have my doubts about whether it will sway him. He says they look awkward to fly in.
In any case, you don't need to confess to me about availing yourself of a second opinion while shopping. I didn't make the socks, either. I just wove the spells into them. It's still nice that you made the effort.
no subject
I'll ask Sebastian if he has one
( this is precisely what red solo cups were invented for
okay, kaladin thinks. i can handle getting a jug. )
Bel's right that they do seem a little restrictive
We'll say it's for formal occasions
None of us is supposed to be flying at a party
That said I don't own anything formal myself
So here's hoping we never have to attend anything like that
Women's clothing is more expensive than men's
Why is that
no subject
True enough. The next time someone throws a gala, I shall insist that he wear them.
[The nice thing about Bel being her familiar is that she has the final say if they ever disagree, and she has no qualms about insisting that he wear cute little bird clothes for a party, even if he doesn't want to.]
And if somebody does throw a party, you can fiddle with that fashion upgrade feature in your chip, assuming you've installed it. I still can't believe it isn't magic, but it does work.
Though, what makes you say women's clothing is more expensive than men's? Were you looking at other things before you moved on to scarves?
[Surely the scarf vendor didn't have Men's silk scarves and Women's silk scarves. How can you gender a strip of fabric?]
no subject
I haven't installed anything on my chip
Least of all a fashion upgrade
I don't want them messing around with my head any more than they already have
If I can't pick anything nice out in person I'm storming sure I wouldn't be able to digitally either
The scarves were different prices
The material was different too
Less seasilk and more plant-based and something that felt knit
no subject
Perhaps the people of this world think only ladies care about wearing nice things. Certainly the examples of male fashion in this city havenโt struck me as especially diverse.
I think youโre the wise one in this case, regardless. I got the style upgrade and then for at least an hour had to endure a dialogue window stuck in the middle of my field of vision, telling me it was โdownloading.โ I could hardly see a thing until it was done.
no subject
My outfits wear me
Not the other way around
I don't want my implant to do the same
My friend would be revolted by the men's styles here
He tries to look flouncy and keep up with the latest fashions
I never understood it but you're right
Women aren't the only ones who care
no subject
I can't pretend to really appreciate the fashion trends in this city regardless. The plug suits we're provided epitomize just about everything I dislike about what people here think makes acceptable clothing.
[She will continue to wear normal clothes over her suit whenever she's required to wear it, no matter how destroyed the outerwear might get.]
What kind of clothes were normal where you lived? Do you find you end up wearing similar things here?
no subject
I narrowly missed the arrival of a monster when I first arrived
So I haven't worn the plug suit in battle yet
( can you hear through your screen how unhappy he is about the plug suits, because it's DEAFENING )
We didn't have anything like it in Alethkar
I can't speak for others but I have my uniform here that could answer your question
A white tunic
A blue shirt
A long blue and white military coat
Trousers
Belt
Knee high boots
That's about it
( extremely vanilla )
no subject
Sounds like sensible attire to me.
You requested your uniform from your own land, even though you've been conscripted into a different military? Or was it already here, when you first arrived?
no subject
I should get it any day now
( nice save........... )
Do you consider that strange
I want the insignia from the shoulder
no subject
No, I don't find it strange at all.
When I was brought here, the only item that was brought with me was my sword. I was glad to see it, even if I haven't used it in a long time.
I hadn't expected a uniform might hold sentimental value, but I've also never been a soldier.
[And she comes from a land of wilderness and city states, rather than from some lofty country like Cheliax or Taldor. Varisia has no official army or even really national pride, as such.]
no subject
Unity honour freedom of choice
Just as your sword is sentimental to you and holds meaning
( it was odd to hear of a woman wielding a sword. now, in just a year, it's become commonplace.
what will change next? everything, he hopes. )
You should show me what you can do
no subject
[It's been well over a year at this point since she used that sword against a real foe. Though she's been using the months since her arrival to attempt to regain some of the condition she'd lost after her leg injury, she knows she's not at the level she was even two years prior.]
It's a fencing blade, though, not a cutting sword. Would I be correct in assuming you favour a different weapon?
[A rapier is not really a weapon for soldiers.]
no subject
I use a spear but I'm trained to use knives and swords
A few other things too
No fencing blades though
If I got a good look at it Syl could likely imitate it
( ... )
She's what's called a spren
I suppose she's a bit like Bel but she's been silent since I arrived
She forms into any weapon I need at the time
Do you have a picture
no subject
I can take one.
[Probably. She can probably figure out how to take a picture.
After several minutes, the image finally arrives: a delicate-looking silver rapier lying atop slightly-rumpled blankets, next to its black leather sheathe.]
The blade is a little over a metre long. But you and Syl are probably better off seeing it in person, regardless.
[It isn't as though they could spar without being in the same place anyway.]
no subject
That's a beautiful sword
It looks like it's made for thrusting
( lowers his hand to his side as he stares at the picture, the idea forming from mist. syl doesn't struggle with her creative mind, forming a perfect replica of lilias' rapier. it's a bit flat, however, and kaladin agrees: )
It's coming together but you're right
Seeing it and holding it is better than looking at it on a screen
You should have a proper opponent in no time
Have you ever used a spear
no subject
I have some experience with the smaller varieties, but a full-sized spear? No.
But I will gladly introduce you to my sword when we see each other next.
[They do still have that wine to drink, after all.]
no subject
I'd like to see what you can do with a short spear too
When are you available
no subject
[So, he wants to see her use a short spear? Hopefully he's not disappointed; even in her prime, she never had the passion for the spear that she did for fencing.]