+1 princess.

[bornstrong]

There's a young woman sitting on a couch, looking thoughtful. Iphigenia doesn't have her crown with her, or anything else to signal that she's a princess, but maybe her steady posture and the way her chin is raised just a little will tell anyone passing by that she's no commoner.

She may, of course, be a bit overly invested in keeping up this appearance. Sometimes, it's the little things.

Iphigenia grimaces, disturbed by something she's remembering, and then speaks.

"What is the price to pay for glory?"

Comments

LOVE the classic character! +1 for the Literati!

[brave_heart_verity]

((So before I tag in: Verity's got a magic spell stuck in her that lets her always know when someone is lying to her. She can also see through illusions. If you'd rather not deal with it that's fine.))

yay for someone knowing who she is, haha!

[bornstrong]

((That's totally cool by me! Thanks for checking in!))

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity doesn't believe in monarchy as an appropriate form of government, so it's probably for the best she doesn't know she's being looked down on as a "commoner". For the hair and the tattoos, sure, she's used to people looking down on her for that.

"Depends who's selling, and how bad you want it."

[ixis]

"Negligible."

The glib answer comes from a rather gruesome-looking fellow in a cape. The regal posture and grooming hasn't escaped his notice, but he won't jump to conclusions just yet.

[bornstrong]

"What makes you say that?" she asks, a little surprised by his response.

[ixis]

"Glory and power are the ideal. Why fuss over what you pay in the process of getting there?"

He leans on his jewel-tipped staff, an impish smile across his face.

"Why do you ask? Are you looking to purchase?"

[kitty_of_light]

"Loss."

There's a bard sitting nearby, plucking idly at the strings of a wee harp, accenting his words with the notes.

"The price is loss. How much glory you find is directly related to how much you lose."

Someone's...not had a good life.

[bornstrong]

"You're right," she says, her voice quiet. She's surprised that his words hit so close to home. "I did lose a lot. I chose glory, and I lost everything."

[kitty_of_light]

"I didn't want to choose it. I think it chose me." He plucks out a few more notes, these less discordant, nearly the start of a melody. "It's a terrible feeling."

[onemorebounty]

*Woman of the ancient world, meet woman of the distant future. She, too, has an unbent posture, and doesn't bow her head for anyone. Hers aren't the dainty steps of a well-mannered lady, however; her stride has more in common with a soldier's--swift yet unhurried, and somehow certain in every step. At the question, the corners of her mouth turn down slightly.*

For its own sake? Too high.

[bornstrong]

"I think I may agree with you," she replies. "But perhaps sometimes it's worth it."

[onemorebounty]

If you're doing something else, and glory finds you on the way, that's one thing. But glory for its own sake? What will that accomplish?

[bestdadinamestris]

A man in a military blues approaches. Although he may be from a time much different than hers, the way he holds himself, the way he just is, should be enough to tell the noble woman that he's a military type.

Hughes can tell she's of a higher class, but he doesn't suspect her of being a princess. Things like that don't exist where he's from. He does, however, believe that he should afford her the utmost respect, which he does without a second thought.

"It would depend on what, or who, the glory is for," he says thoughtfully. He adjusts his glasses before giving the princess in front of him a rather stern look. She may be noble, but no one is above getting his fathering gaze. "Do you want it for some selfish purpose? Or are you hoping for something else from it?"

[bornstrong]

"I have already attained it, I believe. It was a sort of rhetorical question, but I felt like asking it anyway," Iphigenia explains. "I wanted to hear other people's opinions of it."

She pauses, thinking over the man's words.

"I never wanted it for a selfish reason, truly."

[bestdadinamestris]

He frowns, obviously a bit disappointed with her answer. "The question seems too important to you to be simply rhetorical."

He thinks for a moment, his hand running along the bottom of his chin as he does so. "If you never wanted the glory for yourself, then why pay the price for it? Glory for glory's sake is worth nothing. Glory for the sake of a cause, when that cause is noble, however, that can be worth a lot."

[smartass_captain]

"Where I come from madam, we pay for peace, not glory." It's plain as can be that this isn't just some young woman bounding around in the Nexus for giggles and getting back at Daddy.

"But for that many have given everything to reach it." The young man who approaches has a military air to him, and all the confidence one with authority. His garb is different, all mesh fibers where once fine craftsmanship had counted. Captain James Kirk comes from a time far beyond 'hand-made', unfortunately. He also has enough lessons in xenodiplomacy to know when he should defer to a clearly higher class.

"Captain Kirk. Where are my manners?" Plus one princess, plus one very charming and somewhat too sure of himself starship captain.

[bornstrong]

"Princess Iphigenia," she replies. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain." She may be a little charmed by his manners, and smiles at him, almost shyly.

"What do you mean, you pay for peace?" In some ways, the princess has never not known stories of war, death, and destruction. In fact, that's often what the bards back home sang about.

[smartass_captain]

"Do you prefer your title or your name?" Jim gives a half bow her way, though his eyes never leave her. A gesture of respect, and perhaps gauging to see what her customs dictate necessary. "And for the record, you may call me Jim, if it pleases you."

Jim stays quiet a moment after she inquires of him an explanation. He's learned through his travels to pick his words and actions carefully, when he's not forced into quick thinking and not keeping his tongue in check.

"In my time, my people strive for unity and exploration. The furthering of science and understanding. Yet exploration can be difficult, and many other peoples are less than gracious. Knowing the dangers of the unknown, we give our lives, if necessary, to further understand our universe."

[masterofdeceit]

It is obvious someone of Starscream's nature would respond to this question. Glory and power are something he cherishes, and oooh the things he's done to try to get it. And as he steps out from behind a wall, Starscream looks down at the human with a smug look on his face as he continues to approach her.

"Aaaah the things one must do to obtain the most amount of glory for themselves," he says, as he waves a hand in the air. "And to answer your question." He looms down to get a better look at her, and he replaces the sly grin with a predatory one. "I will do just about anything for glory and the power that comes with it, fleshling."

[bornstrong]

She looks up at him, a bit startled at first.

"I don't care about power," she says after a moment, trying to sound brave. "I only wanted to be remembered."

[masterofdeceit]

"Glory without power seems almost pointless," he snorts. He scoots down, to avoid a crick in his neck servos. "But why would you want to be remembered for nothing more than glory?" He asks as he starts to look confused when he tries to work it out for himself. Power is something one can be remembered for no matter how one acquires it, that is how he sees it.

[pathfromdarknesstogrey]

"There are a number of glories out there that can be attained." This comes from a woman in a loose, black, floor length, robe. Though the hood isn't worn at the moment, revealing a pale face, dark hair cut in the chin-length 'bob' fashion, and distinct yellow eyes. She speaks with a distinct, British-Englishesque accent.

"Personal glory. Glory for one's people. For one's Em--" Beat, rephrase, "Country."

"Regardless of the specific one, I tend to find the cost too high, or the fact that it's too much trouble to attempt to attain. I prefer to be hidden, unnoticed. Much less trouble and far fewer issues to deal with on that front."

[bornstrong]

"Maybe you've got the right idea, but I cannot help but think that the lure of glory is too great--or it was for me, at least," Iphigenia replies. "I attained glory for my country, and perhaps for my people as well."

[bitterguardian]

There's no crown, but there is something yet in her dress that stirs some nostalgia in him. The question leaves him looking sober, though. "The price varies, but as nearly as I can tell it is rarely worth it. The price for Glory, in the long run, is high. There are better pursuits in life."

He leans on a cane, and rocks on his feet a little before he settles, but there's nothing of infirmity in his bearing. Despite the slightly threadbare suit and the ornate rings on his fingers, something in his posture and tone says 'old soldier' instead. One that has retired, possibly, because he's broad-shouldered and barrel-chested but a little overweight too, going just slightly soft in his later years.

[bornstrong]

"And what, do you think, would be a better pursuit?" she asks pointedly, looking at him with a steady gaze that comes from someone who has known loss.

"I only ask because I do not know."