take or leave who i am cause this is me [camilla/gerome, retainer au]

[savageblow]

[ The four of them arrived out of nowhere: trained warriors from lands unknown, appearing before the court to, what? Seek audience with the royal family and become their retainers? Despite the sketchiness of the group, they somehow manage to impress their difficult-to-impress father through charming words and sheer ability. And so Xander ends up with a whimsical man named Laslow, Leo with a... rather interesting character by the name of Odin Dark, Elise with a haughty woman named Selena, and then herself with the most stoic of the bunch, whom she can't quite remember if he spoke at all.

Camilla couldn't understand the king's reasoning if she tried - she expected a bloody public execution, or at least for them to be locked away for intensive questioning, not an additional wyvern rider by her side - but, well. They're all strong, and their hand-picked retainers more than capable. If they turned out to be traitors, they surely wouldn't last long.

She wears the threat clear on her face as her newest retainer steps into her room. ] I'm very pleased to have you here - no doubt you will prove yourself as capable to me as you did my father.

[ Her heels click against the floor as she steps closer to him. To tower over him. ] I don't believe I caught your name before, darling. Could you remind me?

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[themaskstays]

[Gerome hadn’t been allowed to speak even if he had wanted to because he was the only of the four being reasonably suspicious about this whole thing. Even though he had every right to voice concern. It wasn't like he was ungrateful and he wasn't about to break their promise to Anakos after he had already restored their original world, but everything was still super suspicious and full of holes --!! Anakos had definitely said to go to Hoshido at first but then he changed his story now they were in Nohr.

Nohr, the kingdom run my a bunch of loons apparently. The four of them had shown off their abilities and proven themselves, yes, but the king had accepted them all too easily. No responsible, sane, king just accepted a bunch of strangers as royal retainers. And who in their right mind would trust the crown prince with Inigo.

Although with the size of Xander, Gerome maybe feared more for Inigo's well being than the other way around.

And the princess he'd been assigned to. Well. He'd been dubious just seeing her from afar but now he knows he doesn't like her.

He can tell what she’s doing, it’s not the first time someone has tried it on him. He'd lost count of how many times someone had tried using their height and bulk to try and intimidate him. That stopped working on him ages ago; it isn’t hard to be bigger than him and he knows his own strength. But not only that, she also reminds him of Inigo with her fake whimsy and painted on smiles. Her mask already has him prickling with irritation.

Her only saving grace is that behind the mask, she's wisely as suspicious of them as Gerome is of the whole situation. That makes him feel a little better.]

Galle. [He bows his head.] Milady. I won't disappoint you, you have my word.

[savageblow]

[ Even with the mask on, Camilla could tell that Gerome hardly even batted an eye at her. A good thing, certainly - not that she really wants to deal with an assassin or the like, but it'd be a little too easy if an obvious intimidation tactic scared him away.

She tilts his head back with a finger, her sharp, carefully maintained nail scratching his chin ever so slightly. ]

I trust I'll be in good hands, Galle. [ Another sweet smile, as obviously faked as the last, clearly for pleasantries and good will but also a And If You Break That Trust, Your Pretty Neck Will Be Slit, before she drops her hand. ] Now, would you like for me to give you a tour of the castle? Or shall I leave you in the hands of your superior, Beruka?