Tallurian Capital Estate, Lalrial, Imperial Heartlands
Ceveut, 12th of Gerna | 1200 AU
For those who were experienced with Marra Tallurian's racous and vibrant parties this one might actually have seemed rather tame on the whole. There were relatively few guests gathered upon this night, with only perhaps twenty of them, half drawn from the ranks of the most regular party goers to frequent the lady's parties.
But apart from the numbers being slimmer than usual most of the usual elements were present in abundance. Copious supplies of the finest wines the city had to offer, spreads of foods of many kinds, even music courtesy of a well paid minstrel whose services Marra had employed exclusively for years since her arrival.
Thus far however the guest of honor, and the guest whose presence was required both had yet to arrive. Lady Marra was her usual cheerful self, flitting about throughtout the large chamber as the guests trickled in, offering her greetings and welcoming them.
Aldrick was the first of the Acithan guests to enter the room. His wide smile hinting at just how much fun he had before the party and how much he expected to have during it. He scanned the room, searching for Vorion and, not finding him, seeking out Marra. Having found her he made his way over to her.
"Sending that dress ahead of time was a stroke of genius" He said to her.
"Why yes. Yes it was" Marra said with a grin as she leaned over and embraced her friend, glad to see him back on his feet after the attacks just a few short days again. "I'm glad to see you well again."
"And that is in no small part thanks to you" Aldrick returned the hug. "But seriously, the dress was brilliant. Just close enough to what she would normally have worn that I didn't have to try too hard to get her to wear it. Also..." His smile seemed to become slightly mischevious, "It gave me an excuse to have my servants do her hair for this evening. She fought me a bit on that part." He let out a fake sigh. "So my servants only had an hour to do their magic. Still, she looks presentable at the very least."
"Considering the one awaiting her finds her disirable in full plate, I don't think you need to worry about presentation." Marra gave a laugh as she pulled away slightly and the embrace ended. "Now if Vorion went and got himself drunk before she even showed up..." Marra paused and covered her mouth with a hand as she smiled in geniune humor. "Oops, I was almost a hypocrite."
"I wouldn't be too worried about that" Aldrick commented. "My sister and Lady Oktavia were right behind me. Oktavia promised to cox my sister to the party in due time so they should... And there they are" Aldrick gestured towards the entrance and the two women that were walking through it. Both women had come wearing dresses, something that might surprise those who knew them as "the Lioness" and Arch Commander of the shield sisters. In fact both seemed perfectly comfortable in their dresses, although Lynette would, from time to time, brush her hands against the sides of her dress as if she wanted to lift it up so that she could walk faster. Her hair had been put into an elebarate braid, the likes of which could actually take an hour to be properly done.
"Marra!" Lynette said as she approached. "How good of it is to see you again!" She wrapped the older woman in a brief hug as she said "I hope my brother hasn't been too much of a bother." Aldrick merely rolled his eyes.
"Lynette, how good of you to come" Marra's smile was wide and guileless as she returned the brief embrace and then laughed. "Never fear, your brother has been the soul of courtesy and delightful." She winked as she spoke before turning her gaze towards Oktavia.
"And welcome Lady Oktavia, I have not had so lofty a member of your order grace my parties with her presence before. It is a true honor." The red haired woman nodded, her broad smile still clear on her features.
"The honor is mine" Oktavia said with a curtsy. The smile she showed Marra almost seemed to indicate she was in on an inside joke. "I fear we have too few opportunities for social gatherings up in the north. This is a... pleasant change of pace to say the least."
"Is Avoriel here?" Lynette didn't quite cut in. "I have been looking forward to speaking with her."
"Of course. I made sure she came, besides she was as eager to see you again." Marra nodded before turning with a smooth motion and pointing across the chamber to a bank of couches upon which several people, two of them clearly sporting variants of the classic Tallurian appearance sat talking. "She and Vorion are over there."
"Shall we?" Aldrick began, only to shrug as Lynette headed towards the two Tallurians before he could even finish his question. He flashed Marra a smile before heading after her. Oktavia, for her part, began a conversation about the 'dreadful' state of northern fashion with Marra.
"Avoriel!" Lynette embraced her cousin much in the same way she had Marra. "It has been too long."
"And Lord Vorion" She seemed as if she wanted to bow, but restrained herself. "Thank you for the lovely dress, but I must ask. What is the occasion?"
Avoriel rose from her seat as Lynette called her name, the pale young woman with long waves of lighter than normal hair for her family was as ill used to wearing a dress as her cousin but also was clad appropriately for the occassion as she rose and returned the hug. "I heard of the trouble on the road here, I regret that I was not with you to face the vile fiends and purify their blood of the unholy corruption."
Lord Vorion also rose and then lowered himself in a sweeping motion that turned into a deep bow of respect before rising again. His eyes were focused on nothing save the fair creature before him as he spoke. "We were to meet again, and to behold the fair Lynette once more is occasion enough."
"Fair?" Lynette turned her head to the side. "I wouldn't go that far." Aldrick struggled to keep his smile from turning into a stupid grin. He looked at Avoriel and, making sure Lynette didn't see, gave her a look that seemed to say "don't you dare interrupt this."
Avoriel met her cousin's eyes with her own and nodded, perhaps a bit of mirth leading to her own lips quirking upwards as well.
"But you are most fair, the fairest creature I have seen in my life." Vorion said quickly with words that radiated pure sincerity, "And I am honored to be graced with your presence."
Aldrick's smile widened as Lynette's gaze drifted towards the ground, her cheeks reddening slightly. "I... I think you must not have ever seen any of my brothers companions then." Aldrick raised an eyebrow at that statement, noticing the almost unpercievable beginings of a smile on her lips. Aldrick stepped back and gestured for Avoriel to follow him before heading back towards Marra and Oktavia.
But Vorion shook his head and smiled at Lynette. "I have seen them and they hold nary a candle before the raging flames of your beauty." As he spoke Avoriel seemed to take her cousin's hint and slowly withdrew from the area as well.
"Now I know you're just making this up" Lynette responded, finally allowing a smile to form on her lips. She had a different air about her. She certainly wasn't insecure, but she seemed almost hesitant. As if unsure what the next step in a complex dance was. Her eyes seemed to focus on a particular place on the floor right in front of Vorion. Finally she raised her head so that she could look at Vorion's face. "I don't think I'm well suited for this" She said, not indicating if "this" meant her dress, parties, or simply being complimented.
"I swear to you that I am not making it up." The man's voice was again sincere and he certainly didn't seem to have a false bone is his body, at least from how he acted. "You are the fair Lynette, resplendent and beautiful. You have slain monsters and fought armies. You have naught to worry about."
Lynette couldn't help but laugh as she listened to Vorion. She felt herself easing up; she had not even been aware that she had been tense to begin with. "Lord Vorion" She said after a moment. "You are most certainly correct. Thank you. Truly. For this dress and your compliments."
She glanced over towards Aldrick and Marra, noticing her brother watching her even as he conversed with Marra. When Aldrick winked at her it took all of her self control to not roll her eyes. The man certainly knew how to jab at her. Chosing to ignore him, she returned her full attention to Vorion. "I suspect my brother played some part in this" She said, looking down at the dress. It suddenly made sense why it fit her so perfectly. "He always did like to tease me." Her eyes widened suddenly. "Not to say I think you're teasing me."
"You are most welcome." Vorion said happily. And when Aldrick was mentioned the Tallurian nodded. "I will not lie, I sought aid for this. And I thank your brother for his help for it has earned me the chance to speak to you like this, with no crisis to call you away at a moments notice." He gestured towards the couch from which he and Avoriel had previously stood. "Would you care to sit and speak with me?"
"Of course" Lynette took the offered seat. "I feel somewhat guilty relaxing here while my other younger brother holds the north" She confessed with a frown.
Vorion sat down as well beside her and was still smiling as he offered reassurance. "You have never left Acitha before, you've never taken a break. Your brother is a warrior like you, have faith in him and enjoy it. After 14 years you can take a vacation for a few weeks."
"Perhaps you are right" She said with a sigh. She sat there in silence for a few moments before asking "And what have you been up to? The last time I saw you was up in Chave. Wasn't that about a year ago now?" She clasped her hands together in her lap, slowly rubbing her thumbs together. "I can't say I've kept abreast of the goings on in your homeland."
Vorion paused for a moment before he replied. "The Queen recalled me and then sent me here to keep Marra from spending all of her stipends on wine." He glanced around the room before looking back and Lynette then laughing. "As you can see, I've had mixed amounts of success."
"I think she's rubbing off on my brother" Lynette commented with a raised eyebrow after glancing over at Marra and Aldrick. "Still, I doubt that is a duty that requires your full attention."
"It isn't. And my other time has been well spent. Perhaps the next time we meet upon the field of battle I won't need to be saved. Well, maybe.." He shrugged and looked slightly awkward there for a moment himself, his skill at arms not exactly the high point. "And I have made new compositions that I would share with the fair Lynette should she wish to hear them."
"The north is always in need of more strong sword arms" Lynette commented. "And I do recall you reciting a few of your pieces for me up in Chave" She paused as a servant handed her and Vorion a glass of wine. Lynette eyed her wine for a moment before continuing "I must admit I am somewhat curious about these new compositions of yours."
"If that isn't to your liking." Vorion gestured to the wine glass fairly knowingly in a way that suggested he knew it wasn't, "There are other options. Marra has all manner of drinks at these things."
He waved a hand towards one of the servants to summon one of them from across the room before turning back to Lynette. "I'll gladly share them with you but they are not for the ears of others. Such words are for the fair muse who has so inspired me and for her alone." It was clear who the muse he referred to was.
"Unfortunately wine is the drink of civilized people." She took a small sip of the wine, wincing at the taste. "I would hate to present myself as some sort of barbarian" She set the wine glass down as the servant approached. "Could you" She leaned towards the servant, "fetch me some ale?"
"Of course milady" The servant swept into a bow before heading off to fetch the specified drink. He returned a moment later with a glass, the same kind as the wine was in, filled with ale.
"Now this" She said with a raised eyebrow as she took the glass from the servant, "is something I've never seen before." She took a small, almost dainty, sip of the ale, seeming to be tasting a fine wine instead of ale.
"I told you, Marra caters to all tastes." Vorion said with a smile. "And I think it suits you." Indicating the wine glass filled with ale instead as he did so and then he raised his own glass. "To the fair Lynette, princess of Acitha, my muse and inspiration."
She raised her own glass as well as she said "If I didn't know better I would say you were trying to court me." She spoke with a smile, her tone indicating that that wouldn't be a bad thing.
Vorion opened his mouth to reply and began to speak. "The fair Lynette is mos" Vorion was cut off as one of the more inebriated party goers staggered past the couch and tripped over his own feet, lurching forward and catching himself on the back of it, but not before the contents of his glass flew fowards to spray out onto the two nobles seated there.
The nobleman rose from his seat and turned towards the man, his expression that had previously been so cheerful now far darker. Before the outburst came though the man muttered a slurred apology and began to stagger away again.
"I'm afraid I've ruined your gift" Lynette said, wine dripping from her hair, only to fall onto the soaked shoulders of the dress. She seemed more shocked than anything as she rose from her seat. She sighed as she caught sight of Aldrick and Oktavia heading towards her. "I fear I will have to be leaving the party early"
The moment had been ruined but the man's brief flash of anger faded as quickly as it had appeared as he turned back to Lynette. "Even wine stained, you are still radiant." He said before smiling despite what had happened. "It is fortunate I bought you a second gift." And then after a few seconds of thinking, as the others were getting closer he spoke once again. "I would be most honored if you would grace me with your presence again perhaps upon the morrow? You wished to hear my compositions and I wish to share them with you. Perhaps where no wine addled intrusions will spoil the moment."
"I would like that very much Lord Vorion" Lynette had time to answer before Aldrick was at her shoulder.
"I'm sorry" Aldrick said as he placed a hand on Lynette's shoulder, making a face as he touched the wet fabric of the dress. "But I fear I must escort my sister home before her fragile pride is damaged further."
"My pride is not fragile!" She snapped. The ferocity and suddenness with which she spoke caused Aldrick to take a step back.
"Yes, yes" Oktavia said as she stepped up and began to guide Lynette towards the exit. "I've got this if you want to stick around a little longer." Aldrick frowned as he seemed to battle with himself internally, eventually deciding to return to his conversation with Marra and Avoriel.
"Well that was entertaining" He commented, his tone seeming to say something else entirely.
Vorion seemed to be in a mix of disappointment and happiness, an odd mixture of expressions warring on his face before he got up from where he had been sitting and made his way out of the chamber himself, likely returning to his own quarters within the estate.
As Aldrick returned to Marra and Avoriel Marra glanced in his direction with a look that was slightly questioning. He slightly shook his head and Marra frowned, ever so slightly and her gaze turned, slightly narrowed red eyes searching the crowd on the whole for the person who had meddled. Outwardly though she was like always.
"Oh Aldrick, that's dreadful what happened. And Lynette had only just arrived. It was such a pretty dress too."
"Yes. Yes it was." Aldrick said woefully. "Still," he almost whispered as he leaned in towards Avoriel "I believe we can call this a successful skirmish, even if the decisive battle we wished for was inadvertently avoided." He ran a hand through his blonde hair, a warm smile spreading across his face once again. "I think this has set a nice tone for the rest of the campaign."
Avoriel nodded after a moment a smile showing on her own features. "I wish him luck in the coming campaign. He deserves it." She glanced over to where her other cousin had been sitting. "It was painful watching him pine and she never quite realized."
"It is tragic about the dress though. That was the one he picked for her." Marra said shaking her head. "I think I know one former regular who is off the list for a while." She gestured making a tsking sound as she then reached out to take a glass from a passing servant. "Bottoms up." She raised it and quaffed the liquid in a single long draught.
"Not holding back anymore I see" Aldrick commented. He was tempted to follower her lead, but decided against it. "You said that was the one he picked for her... Meaning there is another dress?" The question came out almost as a statement.
"Yes" Marra said laughing. "He's got rather simple tastes, but to really impress I helped out. I think you'll have fun with that one." She winked.
Avoriel looked at her aunt then her cousin and then shook her head. "You know Lyn isn't going to want to wear something too fancy. I know I wouldn't. It's hard to move."
"But you would look so lovely in a fancier dress" Aldrick said. "And you need not worry about that. Now that she has ruined the dress Vorion gave her it will be that much easier for me to guilt her into wearing it." His smile seemed to take on a sinister nature. "Ah! And of course I'll ensure that my servants have more time to see to her hair and makeup. She will outshine any other woman in the room." He paused for a moment before adding "And she will try her hardest to hide her embarassment. Ah. But you need not fear cousin" He said. "I am sure we can arrange for you to look just as radiant." He gave Marra a certain look; the kind that one troublemaking kid might give to another.
"Be careful Aldrick." Avoriel said in a teasing voice. "She did snap at you once tonight, push too far and she could beat you up." And she stuck her tongue out in a distinctly unladylike fashion at her cousin. "And if you try to stick me in one of those, I'll give you a curse that Aunty Marra can't just magic away." It was clear she was joking.
"Take care cousin" Aldrick said. "You're beginning to sound like what I'd imagine Serapina was like when she was younger." He shivered in an overly exagerated fashion.
"There are worse things to model yourself after. Serapina is a very successful and respected Shield Sister. Mother speaks highly of her abilities." Avoriel deadpanned and stared at Aldrick for a long moment before finally cracking a smile. "She's also" She leaned forward and spoke softly, "awful boorish and has almost no sense of humor." And then Avoriel pulled back again.
Marra laughed herself. "Avoriel, you have to enjoy yourself more. Go find a nice guy and talk to him. That's a wonderful thing about parties. You meet people."
"No offense Aunty but I don't think your crowd is for me most of the time." Avoriel said rather bluntly, but not unkindly.
"Of course effeminate southern men aren't suited for you" Aldrick said. "Perhaps you could find someone better suited to you in the north?"
"Well I haven't had much luck so far." Avoriel replied. "And I have spent time in the north."
"We'll find someone for you yet." Aldrick said. "Just give it some more time."
Tallurian Capital Estate, Lalrial, Imperial Heartlands
Lalaifia, 13th of Gerna | 1200 AU
(Sparing you all the pain of hearing Vorion's poetry, you can thank me. :P)
The walled garden in the Tallurian estate within Lalrial was styled after the one in Rianis, that the one in Rianis was largely impressive because it was literally the only place in the floating city that had much in way of vegetation at all seemed to have been lost on the architects of the estate.
Still it was a pleasant enough place and the sound of voices drifted through the trees and other plant life. There were two people in the garden on this day, one a red haired man and the other a women with long blonde hair.
Lord Vorion Tallurian finished speaking and bowed to his captive audience in the form of Lynette Zarand and then straightened up again with an expression notably less confident than normal upon his handsome features. "How did the fair Lynette like my compositions in her honor?"
"They were lovely Lord Vorion" Lynette said. Her head was turned down so that she could look at her hands clasped in her lap, locks of blonde hair obscured much of her face from view. She rubbed her thumbs together as she said "It must have taken you a long time to... come up with such a variety of compositions."
"I'm pleased you enjoyed them." The voice actually sounded relieved for a moment as well as happy at the news. And then he lowered himself down to take a seat on the bench beside Lynette. "Not long at all, I merely thought of my muse and they flowed into being. Mostly. I did get stuck a few times." He laughed.
"I don't believe I'm the kind of muse that many men make poetry about" She said. A small smile was barely visible through her hair. She fiddled with her thumbs for a moment longer before replacing her smile with a frown. She rose from her seat and took a few steps away, her left arm moving as if to rest on the hilt of a sword that was not there. "Lord Vorion" She turned her gaze to the Tellarian, her voice taking on a serious tone. "What are your intentions?"
As Lynette frowned and then moved away, taking a stance that looked rather martial and speaking in a more serious tone Vorion took a few seconds to reply himself, seemingly caught off guard by the development. "At this moment my intentions are to share with my inspiration the things that I have created in her honor, and..." He paused as if steeling himself up for something before continuing. "perhaps to make you see the nature of my feelings for you." He finished a bit awkwardly.
"I understand" Lynette said after a moment. Her frown seemed to deepen as she shifted her gaze to the garden. "Our families are already tied in an alliance. And... I am not exactly at a prime age." She didn't quite wince as she spoke. "I will have few, if any, children. And those that I have will have to bear the Zarand name."
"And?" Vorion stood up himself and in what might have been a surprise of Lynette listed off a bunch of negatives about herself. "I do not care about that. You are who you are, and it is that person who I care for, not the trappings or the details of lineage. You are the fair Lynette who saved my life and has inspired me, my fondest wish is to be with you."
Lynette looked down for a moment before returning her gaze to Vorion. "I will take your feelings into consideration in the future." She flashed him a smile, curtsied, and made her exit.
