Private Into the Lion's Den

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Midvinter

Ancient. Noble. Savage. Unforgiving.

A land of glorious heroes and monstrous beasts aplenty. It breeds only the strong; only the brave; only the fierce, and there are none more fierce in loving and defending their homeworld than the Children of Midvinter — the sons and daughters of the Great Mother. Once divided by inner strife and distrust, the disparate races have achieved a sense of unity and cooperation unheard of in the annals of history. This alliance, while first brokered by the last King of Men, has only truly borne fruit in the reign of its current High King:

The Lion. None more lauded; none more burdened, for dark clouds are gathering on the horizon, creeping ever closer. Sinister plots from within and ruinous threats from without are threatening to lay waste to all that his dear father and beloved brother built, not to mention the lives of those he cares for. Everything and everyone he cherishes is bound to the fate of Midvinter, so he must be strong, always. Give hope unto others, even when it appears lost to him.

He finds himself increasingly needing distractions such as these to keep him going. The impending arrival of one of his dearest friends and confidants has erased the bitter thoughts and lifted his spirits more than once today. Valery Noble is a Heavenshield in all but name, christened into the family by receiving the same ring he and every member of his house wore.

City of Heavenheim

Thurion stood on the circular landing pad, eyes lifted to the skies with great anticipation. He was dressed in dark leathers common to the Valkyri, with the sigil of his house emblazoned in gold upon the chest of a blue tabard. The pelt of a mighty lion was draped across his shoulders, adding even further width to his incredible height, cutting an imposing figure befitting a man of his reputation and station.

He bore his wedding band on his left hand, while his right sported the ring of House Heavenshield.

As Valery's ship finally cut through the thick clouds promising more snow come nightfall, the man could not help but grin at the sight.

"There she is."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Winter outfit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

This time, she came prepared.

Valery stood near the ramp of the shuttle, dressed in some thicker leathers and clothing that would protect her against the cold. She had underestimated it during her first visits and regretted wearing her usual tunic each time. But with what she knew to be on the horizon now, Valery understood that she needed to prepare herself more carefully. Thurion hadn't just summoned her for dinner or to explore the world, after all — the future of Midvintir was at stake.

The day he had visited her on Niv Hani, he had told her about the Dark Lord's threat, but during her own visits after that, she had learned there was more than just Carnifex to worry about.

Today, she hoped to help him address some of it.

After a deep breath, Valery steadied her mind and waited for the rumbling of the engines to stop. The shuttle had touched down, and with the familiar hiss of hydraulic gasses venting out, the ramp was lowered. Valery walked down the metal walkway and stopped only when she spotted her dear friend, "Thurion," she said with a smile, before picking up her pace to close the distance. As soon as she reached him, she extended her arms and pulled him into a friendly hug.

"I hope you're doing well?"

Thurion Heavenshield ​

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

All at once his worries were pushed to the side upon witnessing his dearest friend descend the ramp of her starship — a sight the natives to this world had grown increasingly accustomed to in the decades since Thurion's fateful arrival, though they may not comprehend its inner workings — and he greeted her with open arms as was his custom.

"Valery," he embraced her wholeheartedly before gingerly taking her hand and raising it to his lips. "Lady Noble," he added in a manner more formal and befitting a king. "I am well enough, though my spirit soars whenever in your presence." His hands enveloped her shoulders as he looked her up and down. "I see you're showing Mother Midvinter the proper respect this time around," he grinned. "Come!"

Stepping off the circular landing pad, the High King walked the Sword through the streets of Heavenheim unescorted and unattended, as was his preference, while regaling her with the background of the capital's various landmarks. They wandered the busy docks that never slept as great longships for fishing expeditions unloaded their cargo before setting out anew. This naturally led them to visit the beating heart of the city in the form of the vast marketplace, where goods from all corners of Midvinter could be traded or simply beheld, be it food, tools, trinkets, or arms and armour.

Presiding over said marketplace were a trio of circular bases, two of which featured towering statues depicting Thurion's immediate predecessors. The central base featured Thrand Dawnbringer, the victor of a world-spanning civil war to dethrone the corrupt usurper of his father's crown. To his right-hand side resided Thyrian the Uniter, hailed for bringing about the unification of Midvinter and establishing the Treaty of the Three Kindreds.

Thurion's father and brother, respectively.

He explained as much to Valery, then pressed his hand to his lips before placing it upon the foot of each statue, but neglected to offer an explanation for the third, empty base to his father's left, nor was there a plaque or sign to enlighten the unenlightened.

"Both men perished before their time," he said, recalling how he'd held them as they passed away, the sole survivor of the trinity. "Now I am the keeper of their memory; the custodian of their legacy." He turned to her and smiled, but it was a smile laced with the most profound sorrow. Thurion gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before wandering off, waiting for her to join him.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Winter outfit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Always the gentleman.

Valery smirked when he raised her hand to his lips and dipped her head, "You know me, the cold is my worst enemy. I'm not making that mistake twice." She chuckled and allowed him to guide her down the landing pad, from where they took further steps into the city. It wasn't her first time visiting, so much of it looked familiar. But walking alongside someone with Thurion's knowledge meant she'd be able to learn something new every time.

Today, his tale covered the statues that stood along their path. His brother and father, both remembered for incredible acts of valor and selflessness to protect the people of Midvintir. The third base was empty, though, without any description there, Valery had a feeling who it was meant for.

She briefly eyed Thurion and offered him a warm, comforting smile, "I'm sure the people around you will remember, too. Perhaps not the same way you do, but their lives will be remembered for a very long time." As long as those statues stood, there would always be people curious to learn about the men behind the pieces of art.

They'd not be lost to History.

"Where are we heading?" Valery then asked as he began to guide her once more. "The Palace? Or did you have something else in mind?"

Thurion Heavenshield ​

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Thurion instinctively put his arm around Valery as the weather started taking a turn for the worse with increasing snow and harsher winds. "It's a good thing you arrived when you did," he said. "Looks like the beginnings of a blizzard." As for whereto next, the King smirked at the distant shriek coming from on high. "There is one more location I'd like to take you. One most unique to our fair city."

Together they followed the cobbled street leading uphill to the highest point in the city. Atop the hill there stood a lone tower, far greater and taller than any other. Two guards were always stationed at its entrance to keep would-be thieves or miscreants from disrupting what dwelled within. Once inside, the tower appeared to be all but empty save for a spot for the guards to put up their feet. All that was of note was the revolving staircase going ever upward. The higher the pair climbed, the more clues in the form of shed feathers and straw presented themselves.

"You're about to meet the true protectors of Heavenheim. I would advise you to stay behind me," he turned to her and instructed, taking her hand in his.

Upon reaching the upper floor, Thurion removed his glove and held out his hand towards the corner of the tower where a great mass of feathers and fur sat huddled under a mess of yellow straw one would usually find in a stables. A massive head reared up at their arrival, its eagle eyes baring down on the pair. The sight of the stranger had the owner of said head rise to his feet, shrugging his feathery mane and shielding his family behind outstretched wings.

"Hey buddy," Thurion inched closer to the majestic creature who, while bonded to the Lion King long ago, remained wary of the unknown woman. Finally, Thurion placed the palm of his hand upon the beast's yellow beak capable of piercing even the toughest plate armour. This seemed to calm him, enough so for Valery to approach should she wish to.

"Valery Noble, allow me to introduce you to Skywalker — lord of all gryphons — and his family." He pointed to the huddled mass behind Skywalker as a second large head reared up, blinking sleepily. "And his mate, Cloud-Dancer. They've recently given birth to three healthy cubs, haven't you, boy?" He gave Skywalker a good scratch behind the ear, causing the winged feline to purr with delight.

"This is my friend," he gestured to Valery, causing Skywalker to turn its head to look at her. "You can trust her."

Cocking his head to the side, Skywalker observed the small bipedal as caution turned to curiosity, sniffing her hair to get her scent. Finally, the gryphon patriarch sat down and lowered its great head, presenting his feathery forehead. Thurion smiled.

"You've passed the test," he encouraged. "Remove your glove and place your hand against his forehead, and you'll be formally accepted into his pride."

All the while, a trio of tiny heads peeked out from behind their mother's wing.

Valery Noble