Application for Keely of Homana, from The Cheysuli Chronicles by Jennifer Roberson

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

(General spoilers for the first 6 books of the Chronicles of the Cheysuli ahead, especially for book 6, Daughter of the Lion. This entry (LINK) is something of a prologue/segue to explain how Keely got from her last point of canon (very near the end of book 6) to Hogwarts. It is told from her first person perspective, as is all of Daughter of the Lion.)

A tall young woman with tawny gold hair steps into the sorting room, hand resting lightly on the hilt of the fine sword at her hip. She's dressed all in snug black leather - a sleeveless shirt showing tanned arms and ample breasts, leggings, and knee-high boots. Tooling in the shape of animals decorates her wide belt, and geometric designs add a hint of interest to the solid black on finer trim elsewhere. It looks a little odd at first, but the the heavy gold jewelry she wears - wrists, upper arms, neck, and forehead, dripping with rubies - is in a complimentary style to the leather. Her eyes are bright blue and sparking with curiousity, but there is something tense about her expression and she moves somewhat stiffly, though she is clearly taking pains not to show it.

Her eyes fall on the application and she sits, arranging her sword against her leg carefully, picking up the quill with a deep breath.

1. What is your favorite cheese? Why is it your favorite?

I generally prefer Ellasian Blue. It's sharp, pungent, and goes surprisingly well with honey-brew.

She studies the answer a moment before adding another line.

I am also passingly fond of sharp crofter's cheese, the sort of thing one might buy down in the back alley taverns of Homana-Mujhar with black bread for a cheap meal.

2. Who would you kill first, Barney or Carrottop?

She wonders briefly if this is a trick question. She doubts the lir would send her anywhere she would have to kill. But then, the gods move as the gods will...

I will assume they have done something to warrant killing. If so, I would kill the purple beast, first. Neither would pose a challenge in lir-shape, but he seems the more dangerous.

3. What time is it where you are?

It was early afternoon when I left Mujhara.

4. If you were Albus Dumbledore returned from the dead, which member of the Order of the Phoenix would you sexually harass? How would you harass them? If you are Albus Dumbledore, please answer as if you were Sirius Black.

Keely shifts uncomfortably, clenching her jaw tightly.

Things that are dead should remain so. And no man forces himself upon a woman unwanted. No true man.

5. If you are pushing to be in:

A. Slytherin - please state the clever, witty name of the bar in which you bartend, in the dark.

The Rampant Lion. Though I am more like to be breaking tables and heads than tending bar.

Her smile was a little feral until she blinked vaugely at the last words she had written. Then she frowns, sharply jotting another line.

I am no serving wench! Without thinking, she bares her teeth ferally, and there is a soft whining growl in her throat for a moment. Rhiannon had been no mere serving wench, either.

B. Gryffindor – Debate whether Harry should ultimately end up married to Fred or George. Use examples from a variety of world mythologies to bolster your argument.

The quill breaks with an audible snap in Keely's clenched fist, spattering ink across the parchment, and she pushes herself to her feet, shaking her fist in the general direction of the roof.

"These games are not worthy of the lir," she shouts, anger sparking in her blue eyes. "You said I would have time to make my choice, now give me that time! I will have neither one in the end, and then where will your precious prophecy be?"

Bitterly she shakes bits of quill from her hand and resigns herself to orally responding to the remaining questions. The lir kept their own counsel.

"Whichever he chooses," she said evenly. "Whichever is his tahlmorra. Whichever hisprophecy demands." Exhausted by her own brief anger, she wavers on her feet briefly, sucking in a shuddery breath and covering up the lapse by sinking back into her chair with a studied look of non-chalance.

C. Ravenclaw – You guys are supposed to be smart. Explain why my desk is inundated with paperwork at all times, even though I’m constantly disposing of it.

She shrugs bonelessly, the fight having gone out of her with the outburst following the previous question.

"My father has seneschals and clerks to keep track of such things. A Cheysuli does not need them. The histories are kept in the minds of the shar tahl." Her lips twist a little on the last words. Ian had been right; the shar tahl had not helped. She wonders briefly - and a little bitterly - if it had helped Brennan after Rhiannon...but that had not been the same. Not the same at all.

D. Hufflepuff – Prove you are not useless.

"I am skilled with sword and knife and bow," she replies promptly. "I ride better than any...most of my brothers," she admits. "My brothers taught me well how to fight and brawl and hold my liquor." The bold list falters, and after a moment she starts again, voice low.

"I am Keely. My father is Mujhar - King of Homana, and a great White Wolf in lir shape. My eldest brother, Brennan, is Prince of Homana, heir to the Lion Throne and future Lord of Homana-Mujar. He is a mountain lion when he wishes it. My brother Hart is Prince of Solinde, acknowledged lord of our ancestral enemy's homelands. He becomes a proud hawk as he likes. My twin-born brother, Corin, is Prince of Atvia, lord of a cold and lonely land and keeper of the madness of the one who bore me. He runs as a fox when he chooses. My jehan and rujholli are Cheysuli warriors all, but I can take on the shape of any lir, as the woman who bore me, and her mother, and hers. The men of my family each thwarted the plots of Strahan, accursed dark sorceror of the Ihlini, but I slew him with my own hands."

"I am Cheysuli. I have a tahlmorra - a destiny, a place in the will of the gods. I am certainly not useless."

"At the very least, I am promised to Sean of Erinn, and my marriage will serve the Cheysuli and Homana."

6. Offer a bribe to the members of this community so that they will not squib you.

Keely looks down at herself and spreads her hands, studying the gold and ruby bracers on her wrists, the bands on her arms, her necklace, and briefly touching a hand to the runed band on her brow.

"My jewels I will barter," she said, finally.

"My blades I will not."


I have read the hogwarts_hocus faq, and understand it is a crazy, cracktastic sorting community and RPG. K of H
I have read the hogwarts_hocus rules and agree to abide by each and every one of them. K of H
I agree to be a good sport and not get my knickers in a bunch. K of H
One day, marmalade will rule the world. K of H

Comments

[lareinette.livejournal.com]

Reinette takes a long moment to assess this newcomer. Despite the fact that she's almost naked, the warrior immediately earns her respect; strong woman have a certain solidarity. However Reinette sees not a hint of softness in this woman, a trait that could ultimately be her downfall. She decides to test this theory. "Tell me of your betrothed," she askes, "Is he as strong as you?"

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

Keely meets Reinette's gaze frankly, studying her in return. She reminds Keely of her own sister-in-law, Ilsa, in bearing, and she relaxes a fraction, though the question clearly makes her somewhat ill-at-ease.

"Sean of Erinn is a man I hardly know. But he is strong. Physically strong, to be sure, and also...stubborn. Proud," she added. "That too, that always. Even our short conversations have shown me that. And his brother says as much about him, and he is, if not always honest, to be believed, at least, when he speaks of family." She sighed.

"But I do not see that it matters who he is, not so much."

[wh0-kill3d-m3.livejournal.com]

...Your brothers can turn into animals, have I got that right?

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

"Yes. As can I. Most of my family can, in fact. It is a gift of the Old Blood; it's a blessing from the gods."

[wh0-kill3d-m3.livejournal.com]

What do you turn into? And, like, when you're in animal form are you all animal? Or are you, umm - *thinks of what Grant told her* - are you like still yourself only with four feet, or wings or whatever?

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

"I can become any lir-shape I choose, but only certain animals are chosen to become lir. Wolf, mountain cat, hawk, and fox I have said. There are also eagle lir, and bear, falcon, raven, owl, and boar. Some are more common than others. There may be others, but my people were almost driven to genocide in my great-grandparents' time, so the lir are few in number where perhaps they were more numerous, once." She considers her answer to the next question for a while.

"In the animal shape, I am still myself, but my...instincts are strong and like the animal whose shape I an inhabiting. There is always a danger of losing one's self in the animal side. It has happened to some warriors that they become lost in their lir-selves, but it is not common. A terrible story that is used as a warning to young Cheysuli."

[busty-robin.livejournal.com]

"Arranged marriage?" Laaaaaame. Steph Made A Face. "Why not stabby-time your way out of it?"

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

"Fighing will not get me out of my responsibilities, this time. In fact, fighting, of late, has been highly problematic," she grimaced. "My father has always been furious with my attempts to learn the sword. I've almost considered agreeing with him."

[busty-robin.livejournal.com]

"Really? Why wouldn't he want a kid that knows how to defend herself?" Playing with sharp, pointy objects was a completely healthy after school activity, dagnabbit!

[maid-brienne.livejournal.com]

((I hate you for adding to my TBR-really-soon list! :P))

"Some men," Brienne said quietly with an edge of bitterness to her voice, "would argue that taking what they want is only right and proper." She scowled momentarily, then made herself switch gears. "I have little use for your jewelry, but I would consider it an honor if you would spar with me after your sorting." She extended a hand with a slight bow. "I am Brienne of Tarth, by the way."

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

(Haha. Keely is a bit of a Mary Sue and the books (Keely's especially) bludgeon you with the author's gender politics, but I do enjoy them still.)

Keely bowed slightly from the waist (after stifling an abortive attempt at a curtsey) and gripped Brienne's wrist briefly in greeting.

"Too many men would," she agreed. But at the mention of a spar, her attention seemed to refocus and a hint of eagerness appeared on her face.

"I would be very pleased to spar with you, Brienne." She looked around the room before returning her frank gaze to the other woman.

"Is this sorting process lengthy?" Keely asked casually, shifting her weight slightly to lean one hip against the desk on which she had written most of her application.

[maid-brienne.livejournal.com]

((Well, you do a good job making Keely interesting! I figure Mary Sues are par for the course in epic fantasy, sadly.))

Brienne smiled, returning the gesture. "It can be," she answered. "Sometimes the process is quite lengthy." She eyed the woman's weapons with approval. "Those look well-made," she remarked.

[lady-h3ath3r.livejournal.com]

You're offering your jewelry...May I see one of your armbands, please?

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

Only hesitating briefly, Keely slipped off one of her gold armbands and handed it over to Heather. It is intricately wrought, and of heavy, real gold. Angular runes that share some similarities with Old Norse runes wind around rampant lions with bright red rubies for eyes.

"Cheysuli-wrought," she said evenly. "You will not see finer."

[lady-h3ath3r.livejournal.com]

*takes the band and examines it*

It's very beautiful. Do you know what the runes mean? It's clearly a language, but it's not one I'm familiar with.

[c-macaulay.livejournal.com]

(( Camilla's reaction is predicated mainly on what you'd written in narration -- that 'there is something tense about [Keely's] expression and she moves somewhat stiffly, though she is clearly taking pains not to show it' -- so if you think that she'd be hiding it better by now, let me know and I'll edit! ))

Camilla reads the application, brow furrowing slightly as she takes in the unfamiliar concepts. Then she looks up and takes in the unfamiliar applicant. Her face softens.

"What's wrong?"

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

((Nah, considering what she's been through, she'd still look unwell.))

For a moment Keely considers bluffing, but she was never very good at that. Cheysuli directness and Homanan swagger combined in Niall's children led to poor faces for cards.

"I look like the nine hells combined, do I? I have only recently recovered from an injury," she said, eventually. "I was...confined to my bed for some time, until this morning. I am not entirely myself, yet."

[c-macaulay.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't say nine hells," Camilla said, "but you don't look well, no." She pulled up a chair. "Why were you confined?"

[runaway-stark.livejournal.com]

Arya's interest in some of the things the new applicant had said made her break her usual sullen silence. "You can change shapes? Into what? Can you teach someone?"

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

Keely is not good with children - they make her unsettled - but this one seems far more grown than her niece and nephew, and not as afraid as many Homanan children tend to be around her.

"I can become many animals," she said, "but it is not a skill I can teach, except to other Cheysuli. Even then, perhaps not. But it is something born in the blood, not a skill to be learned, unless you are Cheysuli born. You don't have the look about you of our kind, but then, neither do I."

[runaway-stark.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Arya sagged a bit in disappointment. "I dream I'm a wolf sometimes, but it's not nearly the same. What's a Cheysuli?"

[ugly-old-hat.livejournal.com]

"Oh, snap! Why so tetchy about the Gryffindor question?"

[daughtertolions.livejournal.com]

"It mirrors a choice in my personal life so closely as to be suspect," she replied tartly. "The lir have very alien senses of humor, at times. I am promised to one man, but his bastard-born brother wishes me to choose him instead. They are alike enough to be twins in some respects, and red-headed to boot, so I hardly find the choice amusing or some hypothetical mind-game."

[ugly-old-hat.livejournal.com]

The Hat, sensing that this applicant did not appreciate its scintillating sense of humor, thought it best to get the Sorting done and over with, so that it could move on to applicants more receptive to its advances. Some of whom, it hoped, would have shapely hats of their own.

Gryffindor!

[ugly-old-hat.livejournal.com]

Your bribe has been accepted!

Welcome to emotown Gryffindor!