un: sieglindesullivan / video

[grunehexe]

[If you've ever seen an illegal cam recording from the back row of a theater, you are familiar with the style of this broadcast.

Observe, (as best you can), the players upon the stage. The stage being the cave in which many of them have taken shelter from the storm outside, specifically a large, flat rock, at which two fine male specimens you may recognize as Achilles, son of Peleus, and a certain McCree, locked in the midst of a fierce... arm wrestling battle.

Bare arm muscles flexing, beads of sweat dripping, jaws gritting, knuckles white and shaking, eyes narrowed in concentration and competition, testosterone veritably sparking in the air... as two very fit grown men have it out in a no holds barred thirst-fanning battle of the bulges. Arm muscle bulges.

You might catch glimpse of the lovely referee, (blond, very appropriately serious about judging this contest, thanks, Riza), and hear snatches of people rooting for a particular candidate, (the broadcaster herself seems to favor Achilles, if "steel yourself for victory, Achilles!" is any indication), but mostly this is about enjoying a good man on man test of strength.

Until, that is, a voice can be heard.]

- Are you recording that?

[The video sadly? and promptly goes black as the magitek jewelry is clutched to a bosom in scandalous retort.]

Is it not a sight worth sharing? For posterity, you see-

[And apparently she thought it best to post... for posterty. What? Any lady or inclined fella unfortunate enough to not see it go down surely wouldn't want to miss the show... ?]

Comments

[grunehexe]

Perhaps you ought to answer the challenge of the winner?

[She had seemed quite strong, particularly for a woman of Sieglinde's time and standards.]

[sereneflame]

Heh! Do you want me to humiliate myself in public that much?

[For that's what losing a friendly match is, complete and utter humiliation. Sieglinde won't be able to see her shrug, unless she spots her across the crowd]

If we were in private that's one thing; a bit of carefully applied weakness or knowing cheating can make for a great flirt. But here, where it's pure muscle to muscle and any trickery would be an insult to the nature of the contest? No, I can tell when someone is far stronger than I.

[grunehexe]

Perhaps you will have the advantage of being underestimated?

[She's thinking about it now, hmming along]

I do not know this "McCree", but Achilles would likely do so...

[Not hatin', just sayin'...]

[sereneflame]

[She snorts]

A married man? Not unless his wife appears and gives permission. I prefer not to start battles with other women.

[grunehexe]

He has only lovers to my knowledge, so you've little problems for that...

[They weren't technically married were they...]

[sereneflame]

He told me the first time we met that he has a wife a child. If he has lovers here then I think lowly of him, at least if the wedding vows in his world specify loyalty.

[grunehexe]

I think the men of his particular... time... were not expected to be entirely faithful, no.

[Nor were... men in general as far as she understood it, so. Hmm.]

[sereneflame]

[Hmmmmmm]

I would be interested to speak to a woman of his particular time to see how much of this is true. He makes them sound like little more than baby-bearers, but I wonder how they feel about their society.

[grunehexe]

History is written by men, so I highly doubt they were all quite as content at home as it is written, but... In general.

[sereneflame]

Hmmmmmmm... Nevertheless, that does not mesh with my feelings on the matter. I shall simply admire his aesthetics and spurn all the rest.

[grunehexe]

Admiring is likely the safest option in the end for most of the men here, it is true.

[sereneflame]

[She snorts in amusement and takes a step back from where she's standing so the men near her can't take too much offence as she murmurs into her bracelet]

They are something of a mess, aren't I? I've never been in company of so many people all carrying so much baggage.

[The pot is calling the kettle black, but she's never cared about being a hypocrite if doing so makes her feel a little superior]

[grunehexe]

I do not know-

[Seriously, she didn't know at all. She'd never met a man really, before leaving her village... and her books had made the gender seem quite a mess in general...]

I believe there are quite a few good candidates among them- for their genetics, I mean. I may collect a few more marriage proposals.

[sereneflame]

Ha! [She's not sure if she's impressed or horrified... she's going with mildly horrified]

You don't have the hips to breed!

[grunehexe]

Not right this moment.

[Huff.]

It will likely be at least five years by my calculations.

[sereneflame]

[She grimaces hard]

5? When you're eighteen? Urgh, don't do it! You'll still have decades of fertility left after you've gone and enjoyed your youth. Believe me, you won't make a good mother if you're barely out of childhood yourself.

[grunehexe]

It is not about being a good mother, it is about passing on genes- none among us know exactly how long our lives will be.

[She... realizes it sounds bad when said out loud... sort of.]

[sereneflame]

[Her grimace turns ugly with dislike]

That's a very similar sentiment to the one my father held when he chose to court my mother. Each of us, my mother and my siblings, wish that he were alive only so we could tell him how much we despise him for thinking of us as breeding experiments.

[grunehexe]

If there were others, it would be different, but I am the last- it is not about experimentation it is about... continuing the line.

[That horrible monster of a woman's line.]

If I pass before my work is complete, there must be another Green Witch to finish it.

[sereneflame]

That was my father's reasoning as well, to continue the line with the best blood he could so we children of his could gain the magic our family had lost.

[She shakes her head. She's looking very sternly through the magical connection, no longer smiling from the atmosphere around her]

Your intentions do not matter; everybody is a hero in their own tale. However, if you are bringing a child into the world for any other reason than that you intend to give them your entire fierce love and devotion then you are only justified in your own eyes.

[grunehexe]

[Sieglinde isn't smiling either- this was... not where she expected this to go, but.]

Some of us have different fates than others. Different duties.

[It's what she had always had to believe. It wasn't fair to her, and it wasn't fair to her future daughter.

But sometimes things weren't fair.]

[sereneflame]

[Her jaw is tightening as she suppresses the urge to bark. When she speaks her voice is very tightly modulated]

I will end this call now because I am growing angry and you are still a child. Use your five years to move about the world and gain some perspective on the sorts of people blood inheritance can put into positions of power.