In the Favor of the Goddesses

[FoxLeFay]

Etielle admired her handiwork as the Duchess checked her appearance in the mirror. She held back from administering too much praise as she was sure Síomha would have quite enough of it by the time the evening had ended. The redhead mentioned that she wanted to spend the remainder of her free time studying up on the history of the worship of the Goddesses in Wershire. Etielle knew a bit about the subject, of course, but wasn't much of an historian when it came to Wershire's practices specifically. "I will leave you to it, then. Good luck in the library and let me know if there is any aspect that I can attempt to clear up for you." If it was a particularly ancient ritual, she might not have the knowledge to explain it, but she would do her best.

She returned downstairs and called out to one of the servants who was still not attending to the duties of the feast. Etielle didn't want to venture into the library at the moment and preferred to read quietly in the servants' dining quarters. She asked the servant to retrieve a particularly dusty book crammed between two innocuous and outdated medical guides. It was a magic book that detailed matters of the heart. Hatred, love, confusion, all sorts of emotions and how to manipulate them to the best of a sorceress's abilities. She needed a refresher on how to complete the potion. Etielle gave the directions quite clearly to the young girl and was pleasantly surprised when the task was successfully executed a few moments later. What was strange, though, was the not-so-discreet flush that colored the help's cheeks. Etielle dismissed it when she was finally able to retire in the kitchen. She lounged on the wooden benches until she felt a presence behind her.

A hand reached down and snatched the book from her relaxed grip. For a moment, she panicked that it was Alois. A familiar voice rang out that both put her mind at ease and infuriated her, "Love spells, mm?"

"Actually the opposite," Etielle huffed, taking the book from Godot's large hands.

"Please. I don't mind if you have something of a crush on me, sweetie. Just know that I'm spoken for," Godot ruffled her hair a bit. He sat down behind her in a most unwelcome manner, reaching to turn the page back. "Right here. It says that you can't manufacture love. Then what're all these spells for?"

She didn't have time to explain any of it to Godot, nor did she think he would really care. For now, she just wanted him to stop hanging on her, "That's not even the section I care about. I'm studying about a potion I've never tried before." Lies. "I just got the components together and I'm not sure of what the result will be. I think it might be a confusion type deal." Yeah, right. "And one of my sisters said that I'd find the fine details in this book."

The blonde knight got a bit closer, putting his face dangerously close to hers in order to better see the book. "This seems like a devious page of concoctions, Etielle. Don't you think you should be more careful reading this sort of thing when the Baron's come to stay? Someone might think you're trying to play with his mind." His tone was playful but he had something of a point. She knew that anyone in the palace would believe her academic excuse as she was quite studious. But he on the other hand, was a dunderhead but a knight nonetheless. He was well trained when it came to detecting threats. Etielle sighed and shook her shoulders. Godot continued. "I'm inclined to believe that your loyalty lies with the Duke. But, if you'd like to keep this book between you, me and Suzette," he gestured towards where the blushing servant had slipped off to, "You'll bring me to the feast tonight. I'm supposed to be on guard tonight but I said I had a date and I heaped the duty on Rotlan. His twin will surely be eyeing me all night and you need to be my excuse."

Am I being bribed? Etielle asked herself, her cheeks growing red with anger. She turned to yell at the knight but she realized with a sigh that she had no better prospects. It's for the sake of the Duchess. The fewer loose ends the better. The sorceress nodded her reply with a dark glare his way.

[Dannyel]

Síomha smiled at Etielle as she made her way out. She was grateful that she had such a friend to relay on, especially during such a troubling time. She made her way to her bookshelf, knowing that she had a book on the Goddesses somewhere around here. Finding it wedged in the corner on the topmost shelf; she pulled it out and settled down with the book in her lap. She spent the rest of the afternoon caught up in it, rereading all her favorite myths and legends that had moved her as a child before diving into the history. The hours passed as she thumbed through the book, until at last the door to her room was thrown open. “Come on Síomha,” an all too annoying voice rang out. “It you’re late to the feast, Mother’s going to kill you.”

Síomha glanced up at her brother, his mop of red hair hanging over his eyes, but did not move from her chair. He leaned back against the wall, eying her with a harsh glance as he waited. “The book will still be there later.” When his younger sister didn’t move, he sighed and closed the gap between them. “Hey Sheev,” he said softly, using his nickname for her that she hadn’t heard in years, “you remember how I was when Helvyna came for the first time?” Síomha nodded, a smile on her face. “I was nervous too, but I’m sure that whatever this Alois man is like, Mother would not do wrong by you.”

His confidence in their mother shook her to her core, and she finally glanced up at him, the worry quite evident in her eyes. “You really believe that, don’t you?”

Dónal nodded. “Sheev, it’s overwhelming and sad and kind of terrible. But it’s our fate,” he reassured her, though there was a sadness in her voice that he could not hide. “Let’s go to the feast.”

Síomha stood up, straightening her dress and throwing her shoulders back in pride. Turning to her brother, she locked eyes with him. “Just because it was your fate, does not mean it has to be mine.” She turned and walked regally out of the from, Dónal following her with an amused look on his face. His dear younger sister, foolish girl that she was, was going to get her idealistic little heart broken.

Not glancing back at him, Síomha made her way to the grand hall where the servants had already prepared for the feast. Brónach was there, supervising the last minute preparations, and gestured to her children to come closer. “There you are. The feast will be starting shortly, I hope you are ready to greet our important guests.” Síomha merely nodded, scanning the room as the other nobles made their way in, but there was still no sign of Etielle.

[FoxLeFay]

The wait before Godot appeared in front of her door was agonizing. She wished she could just slip in unnoticed and eat like she did every time there was a feast or holiday. Never before had it crossed that oaf's mind to ask her. In fact, only high-ranking nobles paraded around with women on their arms at these sorts of events. It might look weird for the both of them. If they attracted stares she swore she'd deck him, knight or not. Etielle paced her chambers and began to smooth out her dress. Etielle responded to the knock at the door with haste.

Godot stood in front of her in a highly decorative tunic and gilded boots. His blond hair was arranged so that it didn't fall into his face or eyes as it would under a helmet. A garish silver and green cloak hung from his shoulder. Etielle found that she couldn't hold in her disgust for the accessory.

"Please take that thing off. Do you want to upstage the nobels? You know they are the only ones who wear so many layers to this type of event."

The knight gave her a bemused look, "You want me to take my clothes off so soon?" He laughed, but willingly stripped the outer cloak off and threw it into her room. "I'll come back for it later." He extended his hand and led her off into the grand hall.

The food was in place and only a handful of servants were to be seen moving around inside of the room. Most of the guests had arrived. Etielle let herself be led along by Godot, nodding politely whenever she encounter a lord or lady. One or two of the servants stopped and stared. It was a goal of many of the working girls to find a knight to marry and better her social standings. Etielle knew it and mouthed apology to them. She knew that she had no intention of making this a regular event. It took her nearly two steps to keep up with his long strides and it began to become tiresome. All the while, she tried to go as slowly as possible to get a visual on Síomha. It shouldn't be too hard to find a vibrant redhead among the sea of dully dressed aristocrats. Finally she whispered in Godot's ear, "Could you slow down? If you're trying to leave me behind you could have done so in the hall!" Her indignant tone only made Godot shake his head. His pace did ease up a little.

The pair turned a corner at his urging and found Síomha, Dónal and Brónach all standing together near the center of the room. Etielle indicated that she wanted to go over, but made the point that she preferred to go alone. He mentioned that now was not the time for that. He also joked that if his fellow knights were able to see her with him, he might consider letting her go. In the meantime, Godot took her over and stood next to her, immutably. "Duke, Duchess, Dowager Duchess, good evening. A wonderful setup as always." He bowed his head in respect and Etielle curtseyed. She was too embarrassed to look up. She wanted to speak to Síomha privately at some point but the interloper would make it impossible to do so.

[Dannyel]

Síomha smiled in relief as she saw Etielle enter, though she was rather confused when she noticed she was hanging on a man’s arm. From this distance she was not quite sure who it was, but she did notice his tunic was obnoxiously ornate, suggesting that he was not a noble, but someone who was trying to fit in. As they made their way closer Síomha realized that it was none other than the knight Godot, and her brother let out a raucous laugh at about the same time. “Well,” Dónal said gleefully, “it appears that our young knight has managed to captivate the Sorceress.”

“More like captured,” Síomha replied, seeing the uncomfortable way Etielle held his arm and the way she kept shooting apologetic glances at the serving girls. “I think Godot might have forced her hand.”

Dónal merely shrugged in response, already growing bored of the conversation, while Brónach tisked at them both. “You can gossip later,” she said. “Besides, Dónal, where is your wife?”

Before he could respond Godot and Etielle had made their way to them, making their formal greetings and falling into the customary bow and curtsy. “Please rise,” Síomha said, playing hostess and leading them a few steps away so that Brónach could scold Dónal for not arriving with his wife. “I did not know you two were planning on coming together, so we did not plan for this.” She gestured to one table at one end of the room, then to another at the opposite side. “You see, we have seated the Knights on the opposite end as we have the Court Staff. I’m afraid that it just will not be possible for you two to dine together this evening.”

[FoxLeFay]

When Síomha addressed both her and the knight, Etielle felt her spirits rise again. Surely the Duchess had more important things to do than fret about which servants were being escorted by which knights. It was no great betrayal if Godot held her hand for a few moments later as long as she could keep an eye on Alois and sate her date's ego at the same time. As for why she felt guilty, it was something of a mystery, probably seated in her advanced sense of guilt for not exactly filling her promise to the Duchess. Thinking back, there was nothing in her arrangement with Síomha that said she had to be at the other girl's beck and call at all hours. If there had been, she would be exploiting that loophole and twirling right out from under Godot's arm. Alas maybe it would do her some good to socialize with a man of some social standing for awhile. Etielle had never been the fawning type, and had hardly ever found a man attractive, but perhaps getting to know one would help her make the perfect potion for Alois.

Upon hearing of the seating arrangement, she had to keep herself from grinning ear to ear. "Of course, Your Highness, I wouldn't want to foul up the seating plan on my account. I trust that you have it set up in a way that benefits each of us the best," he said politely, though with a singsongy melody on the tail of that statement. He was obviously less than thrilled about having to spend yet another dinner with his fellow knights. Reaching down, Godot kissed Etielle on the cheek as quickly as he could while still ensuring that it was humiliating, "I do hope there's some dancing tonight. I'd hate it if I didn't make this evening enjoyable for you." He departed as soon as he smiled at Síomha again.

"Please excuse him, Duchess. He is a very strange one," Etielle laughed a little. The worst was likely behind her. "I will go to take my seat so that you can greet the stragglers."

[Dannyel]

Síomha watched with an amused smile as Godot tried his best to make Etielle squirm. She really could not fathom his strategy, as it seemed that he was trying to woo her through annoyance. At least it was a novel method, she had to admit. With a final nod at the knight, Síomha waved her hand, dismissing him to find his place at the feast. She smiled at the Sorceress’ laugh, she really did have a pretty laugh and should do so more often, and replied, “He’s always been strange. I hope he is not bothering you too much.” Glancing over Etielle’s shoulder, she saw Alois approaching with his entourage, and her mouth slipped into a hard line of displeasure. “Go ahead,” she muttered, taking a step back towards her family, their arguments having subsided with arrival of their honored guests.

“Stand straight, dear,” Brónach muttered in her ear, the worried tone not completely suppressed.

Síomha merely nodded, waiting with her mother as Alois made his way over to them, bowing low before her brother before turning to her, taking her hand in kiss and placing a gently kiss on the back of it. Holding back her displeasure, she murmured, “Baron, it is good to see you again.”

He nodded at her, a cold smile on his face. “I apologize for my abruptness earlier today, I was quite drained from my travels.” Taking his arm in hers, he steered her away and towards the table they would be sharing, leaving Brónach and Dónal to handle the rest of the guests. Luckily, the arrangement of the room had their table be close to the same one that Etielle was at, so that she would be able to overhear them. Alois did not seem to notice nor care, but simply leaned in, whispering in her ear, “You look positively wonderful tonight.”

Síomha flinched back at the unwelcome intrusion of his hot breath against her skin, a flush of anger taking to her cheeks. “Thank you,” she said through gritted teeth, watching the way his eyes flicked up to her hair, a frown on his face. “Oh, do you like the hairstyle?” she said with obvious pride. “A friend of mine helped with it.”

[FoxLeFay]

Etielle politely excused herself and sat with the other members of the Court. There was nearly no one that she recognized at the table. Most of them were valets and other servants that were tied strictly to Helvyna, Brónach or Dónal and she never had the chance to run across them at work. For the most part they were polite. They caught her eye and offered stiff but courteous nods. When she noticed that Alois and Síomha were speaking, she maintained an emotionless visage but grimaced internally. The Duchess was led over to their table. Much to the sorceress's relief, it ended up being within earshot, just a few feet away. She leaned back in her chair a little to get the ideal view without getting too close to be obviously with her intention.

Alois had just complimented her appearance. Etielle grinned smugly when Síomha mentioned the source of her hairstyle. However, at that moment, Godot sauntered over. He placed his hands on her shoulders and signalled that she should leave the table for a moment.

He said to her, "I'd be careful if I were you. I still don't know what you're going to do to Alois but just know that there's more security here than you know. So, be subtle about it."

"Come off it, you oaf," she wasn't sure what prompted him to say such a thing. She settled back into her seat and he returned to the knight's table.

[Dannyel]

Alois rolled his eyes at her, obviously unimpressed, but that only made Síomha all the happier. “So, are you religious?” she asked, her hand drawn to her necklace, an old habit of hers. She found the pendent comforting, both as a favor of the Goddesses and as a token from her father, and often played with it when she wore it. She saw his eyes flicker to it, a faint hint of recognition in them, but nothing else. Was he really so irreligious as to not recognize their major holy symbol?

“I have…some faith,” Alois finally responded, picking up his goblet of wine and taking a deep drink. “I will not lie, my dear, and claim to be overly pious, but I do not believe that I would bring shame to the Goddesses either.”

She was surprised by his candor, but she really did not know what she should have been expecting. “Well, perhaps I can change your mind,” she said with a smile, taking a deep breath as she prepared to speak. Energized by his clear boredom, Síomha began to speak of the history of the religion, in great detail, starting with the founding of worship and continuing all the way through to their modern incarnations. She barely took the time to eat, merely picking at food between breaths, but she did manage to get Alois to drink far more wine that he should have. By the end of the feast itself Alois was massaging his temples with one hand and clutching his goblet with the other. And she was just about to get started on the theological ramifications of the religion when her mother stood up, signaling to the wait staff to clear away the remnants.

“Please adjourn to the ballroom, the entertainment will continue there.”