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Valliers Residence — Noble District
Jervais Auguste Valliers is a proud man in his mid-fifties. It has been his duty to lead the Provincial Duchy of Valliers for many years. Many would not have been able to shoulder the weight or at least would have relented at times to the pressure, but with Lord Jervais it had been quite the opposite. Hardened through numerous battles, and confident in the way he has reigned over his duchy, he stands strong and with the pride of a Camaeline. It may be coincidence that he is currently in the City of Marsilikos, perhaps lured there by the annual tournament. But he is here, sitting currently in the salon of the Valliers residence his family maintains within the city. Should Fenris decide to come and request a talk with the Duc, it will be granted, and the long lost Valliers will be led into the the impressive chamber, where the crest of Valliers adorns the walls.
The giant of a man hasn't had such responsibility to harden him in that way but he has been hardened in battle and training of a more savage nature. He was captured in battle against D'Angelines because he looked so much like one of them, just much larger. When he asked to see the Duc he was dressed properly by Zeph, so he arrives wearing dark trousers, a white tunic and a long black cloak draped over his shoulders which intricate designs on it. He shaved his face so he hoped the man could see his parents his face. He holds his research papers about the battles in his hands and he moves quietly behind whoever is leading him. Due to his life as a slave, his shoulders are forward slumping to avoid looking his full height. Though as he enters the chamber, his blue eyes widen and he just stares at the crest on wall. His hand crumpling the paper a little.
The Duc's eyes narrow a little as he takes in the frame of Fenris, noting perhaps the giant built and the posture that shows a certain lack of confidence. Jervais Valliers rises to his feet, he himself a quite impressive appearance, Fenris will certainly observe the muscular built, even if the man is already in his mid-fifties, and the faint traces of scars here and there in his features. The Duc regards the visitor for a long moment. A gesture of his hand then, along with a glance towards the Cassiline who had straightened upon Fenris' entrance. There is indeed an intake of breath before Jervais asks of Fenris, "Who are you and why did you request to see me? Please. Step closer, so that I may have a closer look at you. You look… oddly familiar."
Fenris snaps his eyes back to the Duc and then averts them quickly. He moves closer as ordered to and licks his lips. He glances towards the Cassiline and tenses a little. He moves as close as he feels he should, about six feet away. He unwrinkles the paper, touching his chest with it. "Fenris." His deep rumbling voice is heavily accented with Skaldi. He glances down to the paper. "1280 battle. Skaldi Camlach. Many die." He speaks of the time his parents were killed by reading about the battle on the paper. "Vallier Lord Lady there seeing troops killed. Child missing." He takes a moment to gulp and rub his forehead. He switches the papers. "Child birthmark sword here." He touches under his left arm on his ribs. He reaches forward putting the papers down and he removes his cloak. He lifts up his tunic and shows the scars over the birthmark. Someone went through a lot of trouble trying to remove it but didn't succeed. "Are Valliers home?" He asks the man.
There is something to be said about the way in which the Duc remains standing as he is. Perhaps it is a sign of his tenacity, to refuse to sit down as if it were a sign of showing weakness. Or perhaps he finds himself unable to move, his eyes staring at Fenris as the man approaches far enough in what is to be considered a still safe distance. The Cassiline tenses slightly, in perceiving Fenris' reaction to his presence, and he makes sure to be ready to interfere, should the man move to attack the Duc.
Jervais looks from the face of his visitor towards the crumpled piece of paper in the man's hands. "Fenris?", the duc echoes, brows furrowing perhaps even more from the harsh accent that stains the man's d'Angeline language. "No." His eyes flicks down, when he listens, to barbaric fragments of sentences, of a man unable to speak the tongue properly, where words are like bloody pieces of raw meat, tossed to the hounds in the kennels. "Acelin. Miranda." Two names, offered in immediate response to Fenris' words. "You look a little like him… Can it be possible…?" The hand comes up again, commanding in its gesture that beckons Fenris even closer. "A birthmark? Let me have a look." That look is provided, and for a moment it seems the strength threatens to leave the bear of a man that is the Duc de Valliers. It is now that he lets himself fall into his seat, making the wood of the armchair groan beneath his weight.
His gaze becomes glassy, eyes widening, as Jervais Auguste Valliers stares at Fenris for a very long moment. "Valliers… Valliers is home, boy. Yes indeed." He swallows, eyes blinking from emotions that threaten to well up and disintegrate the composure of a man used to command and lead. The voice is far from a commanding bellow, a hoarse quality there seldom heard from the proud Camaeline. "Gaspard… Is that you, Gaspard… Impossible. Impossible, after all these years. Companions…"
Fenris looks at the man and moves closer with his arm up to show him that birthmark. He waits until it's investigated before he drops his tunic and adjusts it back to where it should be. He doesn't repeat the names at all but he does watch the man. "Help you?" When the man seems to sit heavily in his chair. He doesn't reach for him but he does offer with his thick accent. He keeps his bright blue eyes on the man and frowns slightly. "I…think." He nods slowly. "Yarl said I found by border. Think he lie now." He grumbles in his deep voice. He bows his head to the other man before standing. "I Yarl's warrior slave. Strongest. Powerful and… he put me front since youth. Never fail." He pats his stomach. "Lady…Zeph found me."
"No." The refusal to accept his offer of help comes in a gruff rumble. Whatever glimpse of weakness Jervais Valliers had shown just a moment ago, it slips back beneath the rough façade of a Camaeline. "No, I'm fine." His gaze flickers a little as it catches a last look at the birthmark vanishing beneath a tunic. "If you are Gaspard, by the Companions, you need to remember. To learn our language." The name Fenris mentions elicits another flicker in his eyes. "Lady Zeph? Lady Zephyrine Valliers, one of our House Blades. Is it her you speak of?"
Fenris nods his head slowly and grumbles quietly. "I trying." He touches his chest. "A lot better than when Lady capture me." He points out to the man. He nods his head to the name of Lady Zeph. "She beat me. Capture me in battle. Take me away from Skaldia." He taps his chest a little and glances at the man sadly. "Yarl… made not remember." He speaks softly. "Gaspard me. I want learn. Lost Skaldi home but not home. Lies. Want true home."
The Duc de Valliers nods his head. "You need to learn, Gaspard. What it means to be a Valliers. What it means to be Camaeline. You have Camael's blood flowing through your veins." His gaze takes in the appearance of Fenris, already somewhat civilized. "I wish for you to stay here at this house. I wish to see, how good you are with the blade."
Jervais pauses, considering Fenris for a moment. "And then… in due time, you may return home to Camlach, and visit our family's holdings."
Fenris blinks a few times and nods his head slowly. "I learn." He sees the gaze and he wraps his arms around himself, covering himself up a little. "Stay?" He tilts his head slightly. He clears his throat. "Blade I show. I can." He licks his lips a little. "Though Lady Zeph say I fight Skaldi like." He points out quietly. The giant keeps his head bowed and he grumbles quietly. "Close to Skaldi. Yarl might take back. Burned into here." He touches his head.
"Skaldi style?" The Duc shakes his head with a low snort. "You need to be taught to fight like a civilized d'Angeline." A thoughtful expression enters his demeanor, when Fenris continues. "They will not dare. You are a Valliers. But if it makes you feel at ease… You may stay here for a while, until that time when you feel strong enough and prepared to fight them! I will stay here for the duration of the tourney."
Fenris tilts his head a little and frowns. "With shirt?" He asks as if that is the difference between the two styles. He stands there quietly and frowns. "Yarl vengeful. Yarl take back stolen things. I helped sometime." He mentions quietly. "If you say safe, believe." He nods his head slowly and keeps his head down. "How I be…Valliers? How I make you proud?"
"With a shirt. And a proper armor, as befits a Valliers when he rides into battle," Jervais responds dryly. "You will need to go to the Temple of Camael, and be taught in what you were too young to learn back then. As for Yarl." The way he pronounces the name and his face twists in distaste, it becomes clear he is not impressed with any claim, this Yarl may stress on Fenris. "He stole you in the first place. You need to become the dagger that stabs him right back, should he dare to reclaim you. A dagger. And a horde of Valliers swords will fend him off, believe me." His gruff looks soften into a smile. "As for how you can make me proud? You are my brother's son, we thought to be dead and lost to us. You will make me proud as you continue to remember and find out about your true self, Gaspard."
Fenris growls at the idea of a shirt and armor. He pulls on his tunic and grumbles a little. He watches the man and tilts his head a little. "I..try. I be strong for family." He touches his chest but then the man is talking about him going to the Temple and he blinks slowly. "Priest?" He points to his chest. He's quite confused. "I fight. No gods." The giant nods his head to his uncle and frowns again at the name. He touches his stomach. "Fenris." Then his heart. "Gaspard." The man tries to explain. "Whole life Fenris. Need learn Gaspard before name fit."
"It is our way," Jervais insists, his brows furrowing. "As for the priest? I am speaking of the patron Angel of our province, Gaspard. Camael. You need to learn our religion, or you won't be able to understand our ways. Those of Camael. Kushiel. Elua. Naamah. Eisheth…" The impossible happens, and a faint smirk forms on the Camaeline's features. "I also advise you to go and visit the Night Court. You will learn a vital part there, I am sure. So. To me, you are Gaspard. Fenris is the name given to you by the Skaldi savages.", he states at least his own view, on what he thinks Fenris is to be called in the future.
Fenris nods his head slowly and frowns slightly. "Camael…" He repeats quietly. He sees the grin and he grins too. "I go. I talk to Flowers. They touch a lot but I only talk." He points out. Then about his name, he rubs his chest and bows his head. "Call me as wish. You are Lord." He points out simply. He seems to relax a little before glancing around and his eyes lock on the crest. Something inside him causing butterflies in his stomach. He points to it. "Remember."
"Yes." Jervais nods his head, straightening, as his gaze follows that of Fenris to the crest of Valliers adorning the wall. "You remember this? Of course you do. It is where you and I come from, after all. The origin. The purpose. Faithful till the end." The latter he cites, giving the family motto emphasis in the way he speaks the words. "Talk to the Flowers, as you like to call them. When the time comes, feel free to contract one of them. It will help you learn and it will also help you relax." A meaningful pause there. "And it is a holy service, but I am certain your flowers already informed you about that fact. Gaspard."
The giant grumbles quietly and scratches his head. "Faithful till end." He touches his chest and nods slowly. "That me. Absolutely." He turns his eyes to the man and grumbles quietly. "Lady Zeph say I need heal first." He points out quietly. "Flower heal. What Yarl did…break spirit." He mentions quietly. "I not stay break." He points out to the older man wanting to impress upon him how he's going to fight. He rubs his hands over his stomach and winces a little. "Thank you for see me. Give me home. Family." He bows to the man and stands up right. "Make proud. Promise."