lusindmarcel

[lusindmarcel]

Undying Loyalty: It kind of crept up on her. She wouldn't say she had extreme loyalty to the royal family as a young girl but it sort of got stronger and stronger as she became part of the Queensguard. There's no way she could possibly ever lose this loyalty unless something happens within the families themselves. It's clear who she has the utmost loyalty to and maybe if that was ever broken, it may cause her to falter in her loyalty. She should be incredibly loyal given that she's the commander of the Queensguard, so everyone as well as herself is aware of this. This particular loyalty can cause her to do some things she probably wouldn't do otherwise as well as keep her from doing something. It can be a hindrance.

Colonel Badass: Ever since she became commander, she would have been this trope. While I doubt the Queensguard has done much fighting, Lusind would definitely be badass when the time came to it. The only way she could stop becoming this is if she was dropped from her position as Lady Commander, which I don't see happening anytime soon. I don't think she would ever consider herself badass (or whatever term is equivalent to it in their time) so I don't think she would be aware of how some people might see her. This is definitely from the outside in  and not from the inside out. This particular trope says the person is married to their job and I don't think anything can better explain how being a part of the Queensguard is other than that line. She's married to her job.

The Fettered: This is basically someone with a strong set of morals who strictly adhere to them and I think that developed after being knighted and going through all that stuff. She's been exposed to that kind of thinking for so long that it'll be difficult to deter her from that and sometimes your morals don't always lead you to a good outcome, but Lusind would be okay with that when she really shouldn't be. She knows she has morals, how can you not know you have a strict honor code sort of thing. I think this can help her as well as hurt her. It's like her undying loyalty. It will make her blind to somethings that maybe she shouldn't be blind to.

A Father to His Men: Obviously I would change this more to like a mother to her knights or something similar, but the idea is still the same. I guess you could argue becoming Lady Commander and having all these men and women under her has developed this type of relationship. I don't think she could ever get to a point where she won't care about these other knights. They're a family and so she will always care about their safety because they look up to her. Anyone who hangs around her and the knights long enough would probably view this kind of behavior eventually. She's stern, but she's not cold. I think that's part of what makes her a great commander and will allow her to do better things and her warm personality not only reaches them but other people in Esperance as well.

The Gift: Lusind seems to have been born with the ability to wield a sword and maybe she was. She certainly believes she's not good for much else. It's an inherent talent, I guess so it's impossible for this to ever go away. Everyone knows how good Lusind is with a sword. I'm sure there's some who even say she was blessed by Daichin, particularly those who started a rumor that may or may not be true of when she knocked someone's teeth out during a duel. Her swordsmanship may not be so useful once they turn to guns however, and we'll see how well she manages with that.

Officer and Gentleman: She had a lot of rough edges coming into training and all that managed to smooth those out. Her training helped mold her into that "gentleman-y" persona. However, Lusind does have a temper than can still get her in a lot of trouble. We've not seen it yet, but she does have it. If she ever allowed herself to stop acting to restrained all the time, it's possible she could move out of this trope. Although not to say she would stop being polite and do rude things, but she just might not act like a gentleman all the time.

Bodyguard Crush: Well, it all started back when it was just a rescue romance although maybe it still is. Obviously she found the princess to be beautiful, who wouldn't? She developed a crush that has only increased over the years. She would never act on it of course, how could Marisol ever like someone like Lusind in that way? She thought she would grow out of it, but look where that's gotten her. If you would compare how Lusind acts with Alix when they're alone and how she acts with Marisol when they're alone, it would be difficult not to see the difference. This is where this trope can harm her. Her willingness to do anything for the royal family, translates to her willingness to do anything to keep Marisol safe. She'd follow her to hell and back, heck, she'd carry her through hell and back. It'd be very easy to use her feelings against her.

[lusindmarcel]

explained

[lusindmarcel]

Lusind looked over at Lunet as she spoke, agreeing to an extent. "None of that stuff really caught my attention growing up. I suppose that was why I was so eager to become part of the Queensguard, even if I didn't know what I was giving it up. Although I wouldn't really consider it that way. Just a loss of a possibility, but not one I ever paid mind to. I can't even imagine what I would be doing if I wasn't here." She was living her dream, well, almost.

"I suppose just the priestess." Lunet smiled softly. "But… we both understand what it means to give things up for something more important than your own aims. I’m content with it. It’s not motherhood, it’s not… there are things I’ll never experience, but I’m glad that I am what I am."

[lusindmarcel]

I'm glad it was me too. She offers a smile at that, not wanting to think that it could have been someone harmful--not that she didn't think Saoirse couldn't handle herself. Not in the mood for exploring tonight, then? It's nice to see you've settled here. My sister works here, did I tell you that?

No, you’re all fine. I’m glad to see that it’s you. She tucks her hair behind her ears. The rest o’ my pod are off explorin’ on their own, and I felt like headin’ hom— Headin’ back to our room for the night.

[lusindmarcel]

My apologies, I didn't mean to frighten you. She frowns momentarily. Why were you traveling alone?

She jumps when she hears Lusind’s voice and is visible shaken up. —Oh! Heavens… I think I might’ve been. I’m not used to travelin’ alone like this.

[lusindmarcel]

Mm? She hums, close to Saoirse before moving back. What is? Hearing things, are you?

H-Hello? [She pauses and waits for a reply.] Is somebody there? …Huh. [She lowers her voice, speaking to herself.] That’s strange

[lusindmarcel]

Lusind nodded along, agreeing. There were similarities. She smiled, wondering why she hadn't noticed that before, but was glad they could share different ideals. "How interesting. I probably would not have picked up on that. Who would have thought a knight would be similar to a priestess?"

"Well… you dedicate your life to something higher than yourself." Lunet said softly. "You take no husband, have no children." She shrugged. "I would say we take very similar vows. The real difference is that… you defend it with your sword, I defend it with prayers. Charity." She tightened her grip on Lusind’s arm, her steps faltering a bit again. She smiled up at the knight, hoping she hadn’t managed to offend her. 

[lusindmarcel]

"Thank you." She was always glad to hear the compliments for the city even though she knew they were not the best living conditions. After all they were behind on a lot of things. "You and I? I don't think the Gods would need much defending." She tried at a joke, feeling as if things had become a bit more serious than she had expected. "What do you find are the similarities?"

"I have a lot of… admiration, for this city. Its queens. Their knights." Lunet said softly, trying to sound more detached than she really was. If she’d known there was a place like this, her life may have been very different. "We have a lot of the same expectations, don’t we? A lot of the same rules."

[lusindmarcel]

She can't help but feel saddened by that, but then remembered that she does the exact same thing only her orders are from the Royal family. And for some reason hearing it repeated back to her sounded worse than it actually sounded in her head. "It would be a nice thing to experience but I'm perfectly fine remaining where the royal family resides. I am part of a Queensguard for a reason."

"No." Lunet said softly. "I go where I’ve sent, and I do what I’m told. That’s all." Because it was the easiest thing to say, because it made the most sense to an outsider, because it hurt the least. She tried to change the subject. "Do you want to? Travel outside the walls. See the rest of the world?"

[lusindmarcel]

"No choice?" Lusind wondered if that meant she had no choice but to continue after her company was gone or if she had no say in traveling in the first place. Either way, that didn't make Lusind see her as anything less than brave. "I've not stepped outside this city and yet you've travelled a great amount, experienced a loss and continued going. If that is not bravery then I do not know what it is."

"No, I’m not." Lunet sighed. "Continuing on out of necessity isn’t brave. I had no choice. Going back would’ve been twice as dangerous, and would’ve accomplished nothing. In a year or so they’ll send more of us, establish a temple, if the queens are willing to allow it. I won’t be alone for long."

[lusindmarcel]

Lusind attempted to steady her, but she seemed to recover from her stumble before she had a chance to react. When she continued with her story, Lusind regretted asking the question. She frowned and pursed her lips, sighing deeply. "I'm sorry," Lusind genuinely apologized for bringing it up and for what had happened to her. She wasn't a stranger to loss. "I can only imagine how dangerous the travel must have been." She then turned to look at Lunet. "You are very brave."

"They didn’t, exactly." Lunet said carefully, her foot landing wrong and nearly sending her tumbling back to the ground. "They sent me with a woman. A priestess, who had been in the order forty years or so. They thought the two of us would be a good start, but… she didn’t survive the journey. We buried her among Huller’s Teeth."

[lusindmarcel]

Lusind couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, I know." She looked down, her body still shaking with laughter. She turned her eyes back to Lunet. "Am I wrong to assume there are others such as yourself?" It had been a question nagging at her for a while. "I only ask because I can't imagine why they would have left you on your own." She figured they should have at least gone in pairs.

"You know that’s not what I meant." Lunet laughed, covering her mouth demurely. She tried her best not to think of the work itself - her mother was too connected to it, and because of it, her father. She didn’t know who the man was, or even if he was a client, but either way it stung. She shook her head, trying to hide her smile. 

[lusindmarcel]

"You're right. I have found they have equally displeasing opinions about other things as well." Their opinion was one of the minority, but that didn't mean it didn't go unheard of. She never understood why they couldn't understand that particular living. It made no sense to her. "No, I don't think they hurt anyone in their work. At least not the kind of pain that isn't asked for." Lusind's smirk widened at her own words, trying to hold in her laughter.

"People who talk like that generally aren’t worth bothering with." Lunet sighed. She knew she was letting too much slip, but the woman beside her was sturdy and oddly comforting. "We all do what we need to do to make ends meet. The girls down there aren’t hurting anyone." She smiled up at Lusind. "Then I will keep that in mind, Lady."

[lusindmarcel]

"They're not a bad bunch, despite what some people may say." Every part had it's good and bad. That's not to say everyone in the Red Light District was kind, but most of the people there were friendly. Even if you weren't interested in what they were selling. "Well, it's just a suggestion. If the charity of some people fail you, there's always the charity of others to bring you back up."

"As a matter of fact, I do." Lunet laughed. "I’m from Freeport. Not from money. It gives me a sort of… perspective. It’s nice to be around people who understand." The truth would’ve been so easy to let out to Lusind. I miss my mother. But it didn’t seem right. “You’re very kind, Lady. But I’ll be alright. It’s the nature of my work to rely on the charity of the people.”

[lusindmarcel]

"Just enjoy their company then?" She spoke with a smile on her lips, only lightly teasing--although she wouldn't speak ill of the women who made a living there. She knew a couple. For the exact reason one might think. "Nonsense." Her eyebrows furrowed and her forehead wrinkled momentarily. "If that would ever happen just let me know and I'll have my sister set you a place at the Inn."

"Honestly? There’s no real reason." Lunet admitted. She wasn’t quite ready to admit the reality of the situation - that it was easier to be in the Red Light District, easier to be around women like her mother, that it lessened the loneliness and made her feel safe. "Though, if my neighbors are not as receptive to my message as others, I could find myself without a home." She pointed out.

[lusindmarcel]

She turned to Lunet with eyebrows raised once she mentioned being in the red light district after admitting to being busy working. However, they drop once she continued. "What makes those women so needing of your words?" She asked, genuinely curious. "Why not the children that live around you? Or their parents?"

"Well… I’m working, mostly." Lunet admitted. "I didn’t come all this way to sit at home doing embroidery. I’m usually in the red light district, talking to the women there. That sort of thing." She shrugged. She left out how often it strayed from preaching, how long she spent just talking to people, hoping to find something like home. "I don’t mind, really. I think they’re sweet. I’ve never really been around anyone’s children."

[lusindmarcel]

"Rarely home? Why is that?" Lusind is curious, since she is the opposite. She's rarely not with the royal family, which is her home. She figures Lunet may be elsewhere, that's obvious enough, but as for where, that's unknown to her. "Seems like you managed to get a very nice place to live. Although I know how rowdy children can get."

"I think I’d rather have you taking care of it." Lunet laughed, glancing down at her own limping feet. "I have few troubles. I’m rarely home, truth be told, and the people who live around me are very friendly. Big families. Lots of children. It’s quite lovely to see." She hadn’t been around children in a long time, if she ever had been at all. It was sort of fun.