Dragoncrest Cliffs you taught me the courage of stars

Shalon gives a nice speech and Eske wonders if that was why Heda had risen her temporarily to Fleimkepa: because she is loyal but more importantly because she is trusted and it only causes a second swell of emotion to lodge itself in Eske’s throat. She wants to be honest: that she is no leader, that she was not groomed for it. She is born and groomed for war, not diplomacy; but to speak this out loud — to even think it — feels like blasphemy. Eske could handle it. It’s only temporary, after all, because Thur would recover…because she had to. Eske had always thought of Heda as someone that was beyond death: a solid and immovable presence not only in Drageda but in the vast geda’s spread throughout the world beyond the Teekons. Of course, Eske knows that not even the Commanders are above death but in a way they are immortal in their own way. “She’ll pull through,” Eske murmurs, giving a soft nod of appreciation for Shalon’s words of asking the stars for Heda’s recovery ( though Eske wonders what the stars are meant to do but out of respect does not bring it to question ).

Eske offers Shalon a firm nod to affirm that Shalon can call her ‘Eske’ seconds before she pauses to refresh the border where it has staled in a spot before she catches up with the older woman and they continue to patrol. “Fleimkepa translates to flame keeper in the common tongue. It’s another word for attendant.” Eske explains giving a slight pause. “under normal circumstances it is a leader position that can only be held by someone who holds the counselor trade and advisor specialty or chronicler and historian specialty.” Her salmon pink tongue draws across her lips. “Outside of this temporary rank I am Cheka, Heda’s bodyguard.” A warrior, not a leader. She thinks about adding more but pauses because she does not wish to get too off track with what Shalon was seeking to understand. “beneath Heda and Fleimkepa is Wocha: the leader rank of a mercenary and it’s specialties. It is currently held by Dio; and beneath them is Bandrona the leader rank of a scout with the ambassador specialty.” Of course, Heda chose those who led alongside her but those were the bases of considerations for the leadership tier.

It is here Eske pauses, allowing Shalon time to process that information dump and ask any questions she may have had from what information Eske provided her.