Dream Guy: the ride with the king

[Delanedra]

"Huh?" The half-adhiel said confusedly. "I didn't mean crimes of that nature would be left unpunished." she said calmly. The her eyes were fixed on Jolanda. "I can't believe you unsinuated that I'd leave those things to things like helping others." she snorts. "No acctually, I'll all in favor of remobing offending appendages in those cases." she grins. Was Jolanda's personality rubbing off Del?

Delanedra fell silent. No used getting so worked up, woman... it was a comment, not an invatation to a battle of words. Sh thought. "Though you are quite right, Jolanda was it? I think we should hear the Count's view." she glanced at King. "What is your view on that, Balthasar?" she asked, dismounting from her horse finally. There was a picnic, food and apparently mostly good people, time to get off the horse.

[Becca Acerbi]

Becca smiled with pure relief when Brionna came over. "It's silly, isn't it? Telling us how to get on and forgetting to mention how to get off?" The ginger haired girl took a slow, deep breath. "And what's sillier is that I'd be fine if it wasn't so high up." She did as the woman suggested - although her "good grip" seemed a touch on the white-knuckled side, not that she could see it with her eyes squeezed shut - and swinging her leg across the horse's back. There was a sickening moment where it didn't seem there was anything solid beneath her, then she half rolled, half dropped until her foot hit solid ground.

"I hate heights," Becca whispered, shaking slightly and leaning her head against the saddle while she worked her right foot free. "I really, truly, hate them." Turning, she gave Brionna a rather weak grin. "Thank you. Gods only know I needed the help." She patted the horse lightly. "And I am not getting back on you unless my life depends upon it, kay?"

The girl glanced across to Balthazar and smiled at him, spreading her hands before her. "That's perfectly fine, milord. I'm happy with an excuse." And the odd thing was that it was true. She genuinely didn't mind not having her questions answered so long as there was an excuse.

Becca was about to say something to Brionna - probably inane and chatty, so it was probably a good thing that she didn't get to blurt it out - when Jolanda started shrieking and laughing.

"Dear gods, what did I miss?" She sat down slowly, as close to the plate of cookies as she could get without being obvious about it. "And while I think in the case of rapists and murderers, the 'removal of appendages' should probably be done using bricks, I'd dearly love to know how we got onto this subject at a picnic." She snagged a cookie and nibbled on it for a moment before giving Jolanda A Look and asking in her blandest tone of voice. "Is something the matter, milady? I'm sure if it's the company or the surroundings you'd be allowed to go back to the house. Either way, it'd be appreciated if you didn't start having a go at Miss Flowers." Her smile sharpened slightly, and she raised her eyebrows at the woman. 'You're more than welcome to try and start something, so long as you start with someone who'll fight back.'

Looking over the spread of food before her, Becca quite cheerfully let Jolanda slip out of mind, replaced by more important matters. "Where to start, where to start... That's the trouble with having a sweet tooth, I can never think what to start with." Although even as she said it, her hand darted out and caught up another cookie without her seeming to be aware of it.

[Brionna Galenn]

Brionna watched in trepidation as Becca slid from her horse, keeping one hand half-outstretched in case she needed to catch the other woman. Although I'm smaller than she is, so I'm not sure what I'll do if I do have to catch her! she thought with a smile. End up on the ground myself, most likely...

Thankfully, such a move wasn't needed and she leaned forward to help Becca untangle her foot from the stirrup. "It's no problem," she assured her with a sympathetic grin. "I used to climb up into the storage loft to pass bolts of cloth down to Mother, so I'm a little more used to being up high. I'm used to the height staying still though!" She made a face, adding, "And not making me feel as if I've had to dislocate both legs."

The two of them moved to join the King and the rest of the group on the picnic rug. She sat tailor-fashion, feeling the muscles in her legs protest and deciding sadly that she probably wouldn't be able to rise without help. As she helped herself to a sandwich, she listened to the talk going on around her and resisted the temptation to put her head in her hands. While she found it slightly amusing that everyone seemed to have started calling Delanedra 'Miss Flowers', she was also feeling distinctly uncomfortable at the amount of bad feeling and cattiness that seemed to be going around.

Although Jolanda and Becca have been slightly at odds since the dance last night, she reminded herself. I suppose some people are just naturally not going to get along. But what's gotten Jolanda so worked up this morning, I wonder? She wished she had the oportunity to talk privately with her friend, although something seemed to have broken the close accord they had originally formed. Suppressing a sigh, she thought, I'm just not cut out for this sort of politics. Why can't anything be straight-forward?

Deciding it was time to try and change the subject, she smiled at Balthasar and said, "I don't know if it was you or the Count who was responsible for this fine spread, but if it was you then I thank you for it. It's delightful." She helped herself to another sandwich and asked, "Is there going to be another event this eveningtide, or will we have the chance to soak away our aching muscles when we return to the house?"

[Jolanda]

"I did not insinuate, I stated." Jolanda replied flatly to Delanedra, turning on towards Becca as she stood up for the innocent 'Miss Flowers'.

"What is wrong?" she blinked, "This is wrong." she gestured towards the picnic they were to share with Bathazar, "That is wrong," she pointed towards the distant mansion. "The Counts Lies are wrong." she then summarised, brushing off her hands she dipped curtsy with all the sarcasm of movement as she could muster, then turned and ...

Jolanda was gone.

[Fialessa Valenstri]

She had not much of a thing to say to Balthasar specifically, for she could very well consider him a criminal. After all weren't his troops marching along slaughtering people over a difference of opinion. And thus she wisely kept silent.

Well that was certainly dramatic... She thought as Jolanda disappeared. Fialessa may not have been very vocal up to this point but she was quietly watching as three of their number found a way to wreak emotional havoc upon one another. And they thought Neit was trouble...

She had heard Brionna's attempt at changing the subject and took up an end of it. “You know a nice soak would be heavenly...”

[Brionna Galenn]

Brionna's eye's widened as she listened to Jolanda's rant. Lies? she thought incredulously. She seemed prepared enough to believe it all yesterday! What could possibly have happened between now and then? Why has she changed so much? Was it all just an act? The notion disturbed her, for she had liked and trusted Jolanda.

It was not half as disturbing, however, as what happened a flicker later: Jolanda was gone! Just... vanished! The young woman stifled a gasp, staring dumbstruck at the place where her friend had been a moment ago. Shaking her head slowly, she let her breath out in a shaky sigh. Looking around at the remaining group, she murmured, "And then there were five..."

Shaking off her disquiet, she smiled at Fialessa. At least there was someone else willing to divert the conversation onto safer paths. Nodding her agreement, she added, "A nice long soak. Maybe a burn or two... or perhaps an entire mark, if there's water enough..." Her voice trailed off in happy musing as she tried not to think about mysterious departures, kings, counts and aching muscles.

[Grey Wolf]

The King was dumb struck. He was also enjoying himself immensely. The ladies were fighting and it gave him just the opportunity he needed to judge their personalities. It would give him the opportunity to answer Becca's question later. People generally tended to behave in his presence. This lot however was quite relaxed. He liked that. Even though he was prepared to step in should it go to far, the young King enjoyed the quarrel. Even though they were not fighting over him, he found it cute and quite funny.

Then it was done. Jolanda disappeared and the monarch frowned. He was aware of the rules of that place and disliked the idea of the girls realizing what truly was going on. Stepping forth, he plastered an amused smile on his face and swatted the place where Jolanda stood but a flicker before. "A mage? I did not know we had mages in the contest. Now, now, ladies. No secrets. Tell me. Do others amongst you have such interesting secrets? Quarrelling mages and flower girls. How cute."

[Ilaria da'Margeir.]

Ilaria was used to being virtually invisible in groups of three or more and that was fine by her. It made people watching that much more fun for her and this was turning out to be quite a show. Ilaria was just about ready to snatch a sandwich from one of the plates when Jolanda disappeared. Ilaria's mouth fell open at the display. She hadn't seen anything quite like that since right before she left the island. "I really should have gotten to know these girls better in their time here. Who knows what secrets they could hold," Ilaria mused to herself.

Ilaria thought carefully before replying to the Count's question. Other than the fact that she was on a mission to kill a person she had never met, which Ilaria didn't think that this group would quite appreciate, she had no real interesting secrets. "Well, I'm sure we all have interesting secrets, but none such as interesting as the one Jolanda held. Well, I know that I don't have anything quite that interesting to keep secret," Ilaria replied, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.

[Brionna Galenn]

Brionna looked at Balthasar and raised one eyebrow. She didn't know what was going on here, but she was willing to wager that Jolanda was no mage. If she was a mage, she would have no need to be telling fortunes to wealthy patrons or passing herself off as wife to a man she had never met. The King's response had been swift and lacking in any true surprise, and she wondered exactly how much he knew.

She smiled as Ilaria answered his challenge, and nodded her agreement. "Very true," she chuckled. "For myself, I doubt there's much of interest either. Oh, the house I'm currently living in is haunted, true, but that's not really about me, is it?" Her green eyes danced with mischief, making it difficult to tell if she was joking or not.

[Becca Acerbi]

Becca stared at the spot Jolanda had been occupying, feeling rather... cheated was probably the word. 'Every time i think I'm going to get a decent argument out of her, she runs away...'

"One day I'm going to get someone to teach me how to do that," she observed. "You ever notice that people only ever do that at the end of a conversation?" She shook her head slowly. "What do they call that odd feeling when you think somethings happened before? Apart from having a really sh -" Becca stopped, tipping her head on one side and glancing over at Balthazar. " - bad memory. And speaking of odd," The ginger haired girl propped her head up on her fist and frowned slightly at the King. "If you don't mind me asking, your lordship, why are you wearing a tiara to a picnic?" A belated pause for thought, and she added. "It's nice, but... Aren't you worried about breaking it or something?"

Carefully drawing the plate of cookies towards her, she had to resist the temptation to point out that it wouldn't really be a secret if they told him. "I'm afraid the only interesting thing about me is what I nearly get killed by, which I can't really take credit for." She grinned slightly, turning back to Brionna. "Seriously? A haunted house?"

Listening to the others talk, and trying not to draw any more attention to herself than necessary, Becca reached to the Aether and tugged a book of light energy - the Aether always appeared to her as a library - into her lap and carefully started tugging out pages and folding them into butterflies. If she got a handful of them, she'd collect them and scatter them over Brionna, grinning and pointing out "No one told me we had any mages either."

[Fialessa Valenstri]

A mage... She wondered if it were true, not that she'd mind but really. Nothing did seem entirely as it should be. Monarchs did not often have picnics with ladies of little or no status now did they, even if it were for the purpose of a bet. Like as not there was more beyond it and she wasn't always so very good at solving riddles. Thus she focused on the rest of his words.

“No secrets? But don't you think that a little mystery is what continues to attract one person to another... After all, if all the secrets were told there would be nothing left to discover and the relation would have very little point beyond a quite existence lived entirely in tedium.” Fialessa added her own thoughts to the mix.

“Truly now, one never wants to know everything? Where is the excitement without the unknown. Each of us is a little puzzle box waiting to be solved, each little quirk and mannerism speaks of us...”

[Grey Wolf]

Balthasar kept a pretense of being surprised, his hand going through the place Jolanda occupied mere flickers before. His face was mirthful and blue eyes kept passing from one girl to the other, looking at them expectantly. It could turn out fine yet. They might even start talking a bit more freely. Well, most of them. The one named Becca was quite direct already, and idea of her being more direct would require some serious pondering. He even suspected that it might even be impossible.

The quiet girl spoke first and the young King turned towards Ilaria. "Come now, milady. There is no need to be modest. This is not a contest. Well, actually it is, but since the Count is not here, he can't use it, can he?" A sweet smile curved his lips, as the Sun reflected conveniently of the crystal of his tiara. There was this one part of it that reflected the light instead of letting it shine through like the rest. As if there was something more there. Something different from the rest of the crystal.

Then another surprise. "A haunted house? Where? Lady Brionna, right? You are from Roque? And there is a haunted house there? I have a Summer Palace there. Perhaps you could show me that house when you have the time. Feel free to send me a note when I come to visit. I'll see if I can arrange for a appointment. Or rather my advisors will see about it. You would not believe how little power a King truly has. At least over his own life. Would you truly wish to rule countless thousands and lose your own freedom in the process? Is it really worth it?" This last was directed at them all. Was it a rhetorical question?

"I could teach you to do that. Provided you have some talent at magick already." The King's eyes were on Becca looking her straight in the eyes. "Oh, I think I could. You do seem talented." He smiled and winked. "Someone is trying to get you killed? You? Why I can think of no reason why someone would want to do something that awful?" Was there a hint of sarcasm in his voice? Was that smile slightly impish? "If you tell me about these things trying to kill you, perhaps I can tell a story in return? About the tiara. It is my crown, and I do mean mine. Official crown of the Western Kingdom is much more ornate. This one was made to house the crystal." He pointed at the shining thing imbedded in the golden circlet.

Another silent lady spoke and the King turned to her. For a flicker he simply stood and then started walking towards Fialessa. Long blond hair danced in the slight breeze as his blue eyes focused on her. "Yes, milady, but some people enjoy solving each little puzzle box they encounter. They enjoy touching it, playing with it, solving it. For that is what the puzzles are. A secret and a difficult path to that secret. If no secret is ever unfolded what would drive us to even try?" He stopped within a step from her, looking down into her eyes. "Besides, I did not ask for all your secrets, as I like a lady with a hint of mystery about her. Surely you...." He paused looking at her, before he broke the eye contact and turned to the others. ".....all of you have more than one secret about you? Surely, you can share one little secret with a curious young man. To make him happy."

Finally he turned towards Delanedra, and started walking towards the tiny girl. Head tilted towards the side, his smile did not waver. "And you, flower girl? What secret do you hold? And are you willing to share?" He still had about half a dozen steps to take towards her, when shining butterflies started flowing from Becca and flying across the field. The first one touched Dalendara's along the way and she melted, falling to the ground. Folding into a beautiful patch of flowers. That first butterfly chose to land on one, while the others flew towards heir target and started dancing around the Roque girl. King stood, mouth slightly open and looked at Becca. "Now this.... is interesting."

OOC: Dalenedra stepped out as well. Only four girls left now.

[Ilaria da'Margeir.]

"Hm, a secret about myself that I can tell you without revealing too much," Ilaria thought for a moment, and then shrugged. "My parents were slaves, although I was born a free citizen of Trothgard. They were both captured in the last of the summer raids. My father came from Kislovan, while my mother...well she never talked about where she came from. Although, judging by my coloring, which I inherited from her, she came from the desert somewhere. Who knows." She grinned, "That's going to have to suffice for now. It's the only thing I think I can give away without getting myself in trouble."

Ilaria's eyes focused on the tiara as it flashed and glittered in the sunlight. They widened slightly and then narrowed. "Oh, do tell about the crystal. Where did you get it from?" Ilaria got quiet and let her thoughts tumble about in her head. She prayed that this wasn't going to go anywhere near what her mission's objectives were.

[Fialessa Valenstri]

She listened to the King speaking to each woman in turn, he really was curious about them. She of course wondered to what end.

Would she wish to rule countless thousands and lose her own freedom... Fia didn't think so after all she had quite a bit of freedom. Rhetorical or not she answered, “No, I don't imagine the trade of freedom for rulership would be one I would relish. And while the power and all the little things that a monarch has might seem tempting, for a little while at least, I think I'd rather choose my own paths and passions... without the meddling of advisors.”

Fialessa didn't know if she even cared whether this man was happy or not. He was not exactly her sovereign, and he was responsible for the deaths of her people, in a way, was he not... And besides she was no puzzle box to be touched and played with, was she? But then did she really have secrets or just the pretense of them. Her life had never been about secrets, she went where she wished, loved where she wanted and made no excuses for anything. The young adhiel had yet to live life where she needed to keep things hidden, though she thought that maybe there might come a time where her faith might need be kept quiet. She hoped that day would never come. “I think I have more aspirations than secrets...”

She left her words alone as her amber eyes took in the flight of the butterflies and the melting of the flowery Delanedra. Her eyes widened at the sight, first Jolanda disappeared and now this... this strange little competition just kept getting stranger.

[Becca Acerbi]

Becca met the king's eyes squarely, despite the urge to look at her plate. Or her feet. Or the grass. Or anything that didn't involve Balthasar. Banter, teasing, insults - yep, fine. She could handle that and loved to do so. Compliments though? Compliments were something else entirely.

Smiling slightly - not a smirk, a genuinely pleased (if shy) smile - Becca managed to nod. "I'd like that. Thank you." And, recovering, she added "I'd like to know how how you learnt it as well."

"Of course it's not worth it," the girl said briskly. "That's why all nobles are insane. You have to be either mad or facing something a lot worse to want to rule." A pause, and then "Not that I'm accusing you of that, of course. It might be different in the Western Kingdom." There was something in her expression that suggested she doubted it.

Tilting her head to one side, Becca grinned. "Give me five minutes and I'm sure you'll find at least another dozen..." she promised blandly. "And you get a choice of stories - would you rather hear about undead raptors, where I missed the most important part by getting knocked out, or giant insects?" She was essentially a child at heart - the prospect of being told a story, whatever it was about, was enough to get her full attention.

Becca laughed when her butterflies started dancing across the field, clasping her hands before her.

Then Miss Flowers disappeared, and her expression instantly became puzzled. Moving over to the patch of flowers where the woman had been sitting, Becca carefully trapped the butterfly in her cupped hands, trying to work out how in hell it had... Well, how it had triggered Miss Flowers disappearance. It couldn't've made her disappear, but...

The girl gently pressed two fingers to the King's chin, closing his mouth for him. "If you're talking about Miss Flowers, yes it is - and it's nothing to do with me. The butterflies... Well. I'm an illusionist - student illusionist. And if you tell me you didn't know that then I'm not gonna believe you." Releasing him, Becca stepped away and settled back in her seat, holding the twist-of-light-turned-butterfly up to her face. "So, apart from the fact that this little bugger inspired Miss Flowers to do a Jolanda, what do you think?"

[Grey Wolf]

Balthasar chuckled at Ilaria's confession. From that simple truth he could learn so much. It was easy to surmise that being a child of slaves she prided her freedom greatly and would go to great length to protect it. The young King did not know much about Throthgard and its society, but slaves were slaves everywhere. That status, while it could be quite pleasant at time as was the case in Amun Rah, implied that there was a certain master or mistress that was to be obeyed under the threat of certain repercussions. "There. Was that so hard?" His smile was quite warming as he looked at the woman. "And I would hate to get you into trouble, so I will be happy with this." He winked and turned towards Fialessa next.

"Ah, so we agree? And that is why I sometimes disappear for a time and let those same advisors wonder where I am. Why I sometimes follow what my heart tells me instead of what they do. While I do risk a lot by some of my decisions, I think that sometimes the possible benefit outweighs the possible cost." He did not gamble with the lives of his people often, but when he did it was for their betterment. At least, for his vision of their betterment.

It was Becca that got his warmest smile. "Strangely enough I learned from books. And I had an excellent tutor, an amazing man named Demetrion. He practically raised me and taught me a lot of what I know now." Grinning he paused. "Of course, some of the things I learned by myself." He did not offer an explanation as to what he learned by himself, but he might choose to explain should someone ask him directly. One could never know.

She kept talking, offering subtle hints as to what she thought. It was quite refreshing to meet someone who spoke their mind openly. Even though she often made feeble attempts to explain or to excuse herself. He did not mind one bit, and found it quite ironic when she pressed his chin with two fingers and made him shut up. Ironic because she kept on talking while he was not allowed to. For a flicker he seriously considered kissing her to show her the proper way to make someone stop talking. While that may have been the reason he used, there might have been a bit more deep beneath the surface.

He did no such thing, even though the thought still lingered in his mind. Perhaps if she continues teasing me so, I shall be forced to make her be quiet for a bit. I wonder if she will blush? Or maybe grow angry? Oh, this is so fun. Trying to figure out her reaction to a kiss. Instead, he sought to answer her question. Smiling he leaned closer, coming within inches of her face. "You are telling the truth. I think she did it. As to why I can only guess. Perhaps she saw Jolanda do it and sought to show us she could do it as well? I don't know."

[Ilaria da'Margeir.]

Ilaria quickly lost interest in the conversation, since they weren't really talking about anything of concern to her. She only listened with half an ear to the conversation flowing around her, content to bask in the warmth of the sun. Listening in on the conversation for only a moment, Ilaria decided to slip away to examine some odd purple flowers she had seen growing in the distance. Picking a few, she tied them together and decided to save some for later, when she would hopefully have more time to examine them. She returned to the group silently, hoping that her sudden departure was not viewed as rude. A sly grin spread across her face as a thought crossed her mind. "Do you dance, Balthasar?"

[Becca Acerbi]

"Strangely enough I learned from books."

"Books?" There was possibly nothing better that Balthazar could've said if he wanted Becca's undivided attention. If she'd been a dog, her ears would've been pricked up and her tail wagging. As it was, she straightened up slightly, eyes bright and her smile hopeful. "Which books, do you remember? I'd love to get a look at them." A pause, and she added with vague wariness "Do we want to know what you've taught yourself?" 'Demetrion. Remember that name. And remember to find out where his castle is.'

She hadn't held his mouth closed to stop him talking - her intention had actually been to stop him swallowing flies or something - but the side effect was rather useful in letting her get her defence out before anyone accused her. Becca smiled, looking slightly relieved that he knew it wasn't her fault, and equally confused that he felt the need to get so close to tell her that (Although something was telling her that at this point, she was supposed to blush or get suspicious, neither of which seemed like a good plan.). "I think if she was trying to show it to us, she'd've mentioned that she was going to do it - she seemed that sort of girl. But your guess is about as good as mine." She tilted her head to one side, running a finger along the butterfly's wings. "No, on second thoughts, yours'd be better - I don't think I actually spoke to Miss Flowers." She grinned crookedly, looking down, and mumbled something that sounded like. "Too busy raiding the library..."

[Fialessa Valenstri]

And I wonder what paltry benefit is worth the hundreds of slaughtered Panlings... She wasn't exactly certain as to why the thought pressed her mind but it was fleeting enough.

Fialessa watched with a mild interest the interchange between Becca and the king. Though theirs was not a conversation that truly interested her. She had no great love of books, apparently not the way Becca had. She enjoyed poetry and fascinating tales, but not much beyond.

Reference again to Miss Flowers... “You know I do not think that I even spoke much with her either. Strange that we have spent so very little time in talking to each other...”

[Ilaria da'Margeir.]

A puzzled look crept over Ilaria's face as her outline began to fade. She opened her mouth, almost as if she was going to say something, but she winked out of existance before anything could be said. Strange things were indeed happening in the Aether today.