The Smith, Nimue, Xander, and Lady Lim discuss various matters

Characters in this scene: The Smith, Nimue, Xander, Lady Lim

Location: Sanctuary

On the second floor of Sanctuary, the Smith and Nimue sit together at a coffee table, a couch opposite them left empty. They're talking quietly to eachother, the Smith sipping from a cup of coffee. He's a lot less put together than the previous night, wearing a flannel button down and jeans that are prominently scorch-marked. Nimue looks about the same, but her eyes are now an unnatural bright pink and she's traded the crystal gown for a sundress.

Xander Cruize made his way out of his room and down the hall, smiling a melancholy smile. His eyes were slightly red from tears he'd shed a couple hours ago. Unlike when he'd run into the Smith and Nimue the night before, Chivalry had far less of a hold on him at present. The gleaming armor had been replaced with a beat up denim jacket adorned with multitudes of buttons, a simple tee and a pair of jeans.

As he approached the pair, he paused and bowed. "Sir Smith, Lady Nimue, I hope the two of you had a pleasant night."

"I generally don't sleep well in hotels. It'd been a while since I stayed in one, but..." the Smith trails off, shaking his head.

Nimue quirks up an eyebrow at the Smith before looking back over at Xander. "I hope your night was pleasant as mine was."

"I'll admit that I did not sleep much last night. All the excitement, and then I was trying to deal with the side effects of my transformation." He shook his head. "But that is nothing with which I should concern you."

He smiled. "I believe my patron suggested a deal between us. I am not rightly sure of the cost of a sword, to be honest."

"The cost of a sword can vary greatly, so I'd like to establish some basics first. Did you or your patron have any particulars in mind? Any specific purposes you'd put it towards?"

"I myself have nothing in mind. After a recent discussion, I think it could be handy to have, but I hope to avoid its use." He smiled. "As for Chivalry, who's to say what he was thinking? I'm sure he would want something for me similar to the sword he carries with him."

"I see. In that case, a better question would be what resources do you have available to spend on this?"

"I am not wealthy. I could offer you what little money I have, but it would not pay for the component parts of a sword, I'm sure. I have books, and I have knowledge, but I have little enough of both that I would have to give up most of what I have to feel this deal is right." He frowned, considering.

"I do also own the rights to car. It is my transportation, but perhaps it could be fair trade for a tool to defend myself and others."

"Would you both mind me interrupting this discussion for a moment? I have had an interest in speaking to the swordsmith, and when I saw the both of you here - I am guessing at the intention and think I see a way that all three of us could benefit." Lady offers.

"Of course, Lady, you are never an intruder in your own demesne."

"Of course," Nimue says, inclining her head in respect for the Lady. The Smith nods in agreement, taking another sip of his coffee.

Lady nods to Xander, Nimue, and the Smith in turn before continuing,

"My main conundrum is that for Sanctuary to commission a sword - and not just any sword but from this legendary Smith tells the Spirits that Sanctuary is expecting it will need to use one."

"At the same time, I found myself wanting to offer support to Xander, precisely because of his particular set of circumstances. A Knight needs a Patron."

"You can perhaps see where I am going with this." Lady says to the Smith, "I would propose, that I would pay for the finest blade you can make for a Harbinger of Chivalry - while sticking to your oaths and constraints of course - and that Sanctuary would pay the metaphorical bill."

"In return," the Lady turns to the Knight, "When you follow on your oath to defend Sanctuary, you will be better equipped to do so, should this place need that service."

The Smith's eyebrows tick up, a lopsided grin forming on his lips. "The finest I can create within my oaths and constraints? Now there's an interesting challenge."

Lady smiles back at the Smith, but waits on the Knight to respond.

Xander was floored. He smiled ruefully and dipped his head. "The Lady is too generous. You have already offered me so much kindness, and this would be your third act of such, by my reckoning. I... I will accept if you insist, but I am obligated to find a way to repay you for it."

"You may do as you wish, Xander. I myself am a fan of the concept of 'paying kindness forward' - I have no doubt a Harbinger of Chivalry would find many opportunities to do just that."

"I also offer this Smith not just money, but any materials or other resources that he may need for such a fine weapon. I will utilize Sanctuary's full contacts to do so, if asked upon."

The Knight smiled and nodded. "If that is your desire, then I will pay this kindness forward instead of seeking to pay you directly."

The Lady nods, "Of course, do not forget to underestimate the weapon or overestimate yourself. It would not do to see you fall in battle."

The Smith scratches at his chin, closing his eyes for a moment. "I'll have take you up on the offer of resources. I can't power this project the same way as my three, so I'll need a number of lesser sources, renewable and the less biased towards a practice the better."

"I believe that can be accomplished. Simply state your needs to me - at your leisure, and we will do our best to find some suitable materials."

The Smith has pulled out a smartphone and is already typing up a list, muttering to himself as he deletes and retypes a line.

Nimue lets out a soft sigh. "Now that he's started it'll be hard for him to stop. I'll ensure that the needs for the blade are communicated to you in a timely manner."

"Thank you very kindly, Nimue." Lady says, deeply grateful.

"Can I do anything for you in regards to your situation with the Court?" Lady offers the Fae.

"Indeed, thank you, Nimue. And thank you again, Lady Christine." The Knight bowed.

Nimue inclines her head to the Knight, before looking back at Lady Lim. Her gentle smile fades into something closer to melancholy. "My standing in High Summer is a complicated issue. Unless you know where my predecessors hid Excalibur, I fear there's little to be done. These days I care less about the Court and more about my inevitable fall to Winter after my familiarship ends."

The Smith looks up at that, gently squeezing Nimue's hand.

"When you came to Sanctuary the night of the grand opening, I was hoping you would ask that very question actually." Lady said - there was a stillness to her voice that was different from the curiosity of her earlier inquiry.

"As you understand, it is not proper to meddle in affairs that which you are not yet first invited or have permission for. I do not have your answer, but I may have a clue if you wish to hear it."

Nimue's face goes blank. "Please," she says, after a long moment, posture stiff.

"There are two parts to my story. The first requires a little bit of history. My father's family are a long line of Alchemists dedicated to recreating the Fusang Tree, said to be China's equivalent of 'the Holy Grail.'"

"For a millennia, other Chinese Practitioner families mocked my ancestors for their foolish quest. Many had tried and lifetimes were spent, failing to recreate this tree."

"But my grandfather found success. He actually recreated it...and how he did that?" Lady left room for inferences.

"He consulted the then owner of what we believe to be of the actual Holy Grail, at the time a branch of Crusaders that have long since passed."

"But from his accounts of their interactions, I know this: Excalibur is not whole. At some point in time it was broken into three pieces."

Nimue sighs. "The Fourth Nimue was a fool. I didn't realize just how far she went."

"And I am almost certain that it was her, few others would have the authority to act upon that blade."

Lady nods.

Xander was listening, his eyebrows going up further at each revelation about Excalibur being real, being lost, being broken...

"It is a mighty quest your line has undertaken, Lady Nimue..."

"It was. After the blade was lost, or 'hidden' as some say, the title Nimue became a curse, stripping fae from their stories and pushing them towards Winter, with nothing left but to await the return of the once and future king for the rest of time." Her tone is decidedly bitter, now.

Lady nods to Xander, and shares a pained look with Nimue.

"It is my belief that Excalibur is not just broken, but that its pieces have been separated on purpose in order to render divinations more difficult, if not useless. I do not wish to see your fate thus so cursed."

Lady claps her hands and a curtain of gossamer falls from the ceiling to surround them. The ambient noise of the hotel falls silent as they receive some privacy.

She goes on, "That information is old and while it may be helpful in the abstract, it at least gives you a little more to go on, what I have to say next is as recent as the last week. The first I have heard of Excalibur since reading my Grandfather's account."

"The international criminal known as Stella Lawson Myers recently attempted me to blackmail me for access to Sanctuary."

"She had dangled the most preposterous bait. After a decade after being stolen from my family, shortly after my father's death - the Fusang Tree turned up again."

"She claims, and I have since confirmed that it is in the Vault of the Duke of Milk and Honey - in High Fall."

"Wondering what else he might have hidden in that legendary place, I stumbled upon information that his Curators have been looking specifically for Arthurian artifacts - for two pieces of Excalibur."

"By inference, and I believe Nimue may be the only one who can confirm via divinations using her unique knowledge - I believe you will be able to find one of Excalibur's three pieces in that same Vault."

The Smith looks up sharply. "I'm too well practiced to use stronger language, but I would not like to see a collector with any piece of Excalibur, let alone all three."

Nimue is still stiff. "High Fall," she says. "I won't pretend to be surprised."

"It's a little worse than that," Lady says, "The Duke plays both sides of coin, both High Fall and Dark. One he uses for legitimate purposes, and the other..."

The Knight bowed his head. "I think this talk is well above my pay grade. If you'll pardon me, I will take my leave."

"Please do. I will keep you updated on that Sword." Lady says, smiling at the Knight.

He bowed briefly to all three before heading for the stairs.

"Good day, Sir Knight," Nimue says, letting herself relax finally.

"Hm," Lady hums. "I notice in your posture you're a little more comfortable after Xander has left. Do you mind if I inquire why?"

"He vividly reminds me of who I'm supposed to be awaiting. The King of Knights who haunts my daydreams."

"I did not mean to show that much. I suppose that's some of the give and take, that I've become less subtle."

"That is a fine point. I have not met many like him and if the King of Knights is as much a Mantle as 'Nimue' is - he may not be there yet...but it's possible someday that he grows into a person who could."

"I don't think you have anything to be ashamed of. If I may not be so humble for a moment, I know I am among the top of humanity when it comes to empathizing."

"You have been exceptionally kind to me, at the very least," Nimue says, softly. "I believe your thought to have merit. I will watch him, from a distance. If he can become the Once and Future King, then the stories he writes will become the future of my mantle."

The Smith grunts. "If he does I'll have to ask him for his opinion on Hard Cleft. But for now, he'll need something a little more manageable."

Lady nods, "I admit I would not have been as sympathetic to your plight, if I were not tied to my own burden." Lady gestures and ceiling turns transparent. The floor above appears completely empty, save for a grand piano upon a dais - directly above the Lady.

"That is my Implement - I foolishly, if as a necessity chose a Heavy Implement. As a consequence, I must be within 150' of it or I start to die, rapidly diminishing at first and then slowly after that."

The Lady moves two steps to her right. The piano on the floor above moves exactly the same amount, in time with her. "I have somewhat of a solution for Sanctuary and have even found a few more tricks to lighten the burden and allow me to visit other places for very limited amounts of time...but it is a burden nonetheless."

"While I do believe you have made the best of your situation, I believe returning the Once and Future King will lift the Mantle of Nimue from Winter and return it to its rightful place in Spring. While still not your home court, it would be a better change than the Fate your enemies would have for you."

Finally, Lady turns to the Smith, "You at least have an inkling for what the Knight would think of Hard Cleft. If he laid his hands on it..." Lady laughs, "Pardon, I had a crude thought. Yes. For now, he'll need something a *little* more manageable."

"That said, I'm excited for what you create for him - precisely because of your limitations. As a musician I know great limitations can also foster the most wonderful creativity at times."

Nimue nods. "Our burdens are not dissimilar. I truly appreciate what you have told me, and it is an astute observation that my mantle was originally of Spring. It passed in to Summer in the years of the Fifth Nimue. If I could see His return, I would have no qualms about the mantle's return and mine alongside it."

"You're right about limitations. I've got so many ideas-" he glances back down at the list he's working on. "We were planning to stay on vacation for a full week but I want to work on this now. Damn."

"If that is what you desire, I would very much like that for you, too. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance to you." Lady responds.

"Why not do both? Sanctuary's rooms are metamorphic. You can either section off part of your room to be a workshop or we can find another that will suffice. I know you likely need special tools eventually...but just to start on a prototype, perhaps we have enough resources for you to both take a vacation and get a little side project done?"

The Smith looks over at Nimue, who folds her arms and looks back. This lasts for nearly ten seconds before she lets out a sigh. "Fine."

"I'm mostly concerned about space," the Smith says. "You might know I tend to work with large diagrams, and I'd rather not push the limits of the room we're sleeping in."

Lady gives a genuine smile and bows to Nimue at her acceptance. She's a prideful woman herself, after all.

"That is an important consideration. There is space outside of the hotel that is still within the grounds of Sanctuary. They can be hallowed out and you can have your workshop there."

"You actually might have quite a bit of appreciation for the previous project that was hosted there. It was a complex creation involving four expert Practitioners..."

"I'll take a look. Thank you," the Smith says, standing up. "Last thing. If you think anyone'll be interested, let them know that I'll be working, and that they can observe from a distance should they so desire."

"You are most welcome."

Lady raises her eyebrows at the Smith's offer, "That is...quite generous. I will spread the word to those I believe are interested who would respect the gift you are offering."

"It's in the spirit of OMO. Sharing knowledge and all that. Anyways, I have some plans to draw up. I'll talk to you soon, hopefully. Goodbye."

Nimue stands, giving a full bow to Lady Lim. "He'll probably have the list done before the hour is up. I'll see you when it's ready."

The pair leave the room, Nimue taking the Smith's arm as they go.

"I understand. Goodnight and goobye."

Lady matches the full bow of Nimue's. "Sounds good."

Seeing the pair goes, Lady isn't sure what to feel - the two of them were such a confluence. Whether others realized it or not, the world shook a little wherever they went. That they were in Sanctuary could prove beneficient or ominous and she wasn't sure which.

She just knew it was her job to help them along their way. It was her Role, after all.