“Of course,†Aesa replied with a reserved smile. Well, she was accustomed to noble status, and so she did what any noblewoman would do; she pulled the bell cord for a servant.
“In truth, I am a little hungry,†the young woman admitted, as she looked over to the animated conversation between Rioja and Manyana. Farathorn was undoubtedly right; they did seem to be fully engrossed in conversation, and Aesa was more than ready for a change of venue as well as topic. The machinations of the gods were more than the 18 yahren old Trothgardian warrior was accustomed to deal with.
A servant appeared and Aesa sent her off to summon the Chatelaine to the suites on the floor below her apartments. It was well into Eventide now, but such things were best done by official process, Aesa decided, despite the sudden increase in her status.
“Let’s make our way downstairs,†she suggested, turning her pale blue eyes on Farathorn’s face thoughtfully. “I believe that at least one of the suites below mine is vacant and it would be good to have you near,†Aesa admitted, but then hastily clarified, “for my lessons and security.†Still, she blushed at the admission that may have expressed more than the young woman had intended.
Hiding her flushed cheeks in movement, Aesa took Farathorn’s arm and they headed for the door. Manyana nodded briefly to the pair, but clearly Rioja was far to caught up in their discussion to take notice of Aesa and Farathorn’s departure.
“Let’s get your chambers organised and then we can make a visit to Master Warnock’s demesnes,†Aesa replied to the Achadhiel’s question, trying to make a small joke to distract Farathorn from the slip she had made and pointedly ignoring the two guards that flanked the door to Anochrim’s apartments.
She did not want the guards to see her blushing like a maiden with her suitor. Nor would it do to have Farathron think that there was more to their relationship than their professional arrangement. Then, realizing where her thoughts were taking her, she pulled herself firmly back to the Achadiel’s questions.
“My weapons are in my chambers, so that might have to wait until the morrow,†Aesa replied matter-of-factly, as they walked along the broad corridor together, heading for the sweeping staircase midway along its length. “I have both a long and a short sword, although I am a little more comfortable with the longsword. I chose the best of each to bring with me to the Citadel. It seemed… unnecessary to bring more, and some said that I needn’t bring even one, but that is not my way,†she explained, as they began to descend the sweeping staircase, feeling certain that this man would understand her feelings.
She listened to Farathorns’ words, as they descended a second flight, and she nodded her agreement. Just as they reached the bottom step of that flight, Aesa spotted the tall, willowy form of the Chatelaine coming toward them up the hallway.
“Perhaps we can share stories over what booty we can wrest from Masterchef Warnock,†she said quietly, with a soft laugh and a conspiratorial glance at Farathorn, before sobering her expression to face the Chatelaine.
A Place to Call Home: Farathorn (Samheen 17th, LET)
Moderator: Mods
“Milady,†the Chatelaine greeted her, dipping a low, respectful curtsy, which Aesa acknowledged with a respectful nod. Although the middle-aged woman looked Farathorn over briefly, she did not address him until Aesa explained his presence and his needs. Then, the woman curtsied politely, apparently having decided that Farathorn was on an equal footing with herself within the household.
“Welcome, Master Farathorn,†she said in a courteous tone. The Chatelaine then led them to the door of the suite at the far end of the hall. Two servants stood waiting discretely at the corridor’s end, awaiting orders. She nodded to the pair and then unlocked the large, ornately paneled door.
The door opened into an antechamber, with double doors that opened into the main chamber. The servants discreetly slipped into the room and began lighting lamps, revealing a generously sized sitting room with a large fireplace taking up much of the wall to the right. This, once lit, gave the chamber a much more comfortable atmosphere. The far wall was virtually covered with pale green drapes of heavy velvet, suggesting that during daylight hours there would be plenty of natural light. The left wall held a pair of doors. The floor was marble of a grey-green hue, and the walls and ceiling were of wood paneling painted white.
A settee sat before the fireplace, with an armchair to either side, creating a comfortable seating area. These were generously padded and upholstered in pearly grey, and embroidered with vines of green ivy. End tables of dark wood, each holding a brass lamp, stood at either end of the settee. Near to the windows stood a table of rich, dark wood, with four chairs, the seats upholstered in fabric matching the drapes. Two more such chairs sat against the right wall, while a sideboard of dark wood stood against the left wall. A brass chandelier of candles, with detailing of brass ivy leaves, hung above the table. Along the left wall, between the two doors, stood a writing desk, with a chair, and a matching book case. The bookcase was empty and only a lamp sat upon the desk.
“Welcome, Master Farathorn,†she said in a courteous tone. The Chatelaine then led them to the door of the suite at the far end of the hall. Two servants stood waiting discretely at the corridor’s end, awaiting orders. She nodded to the pair and then unlocked the large, ornately paneled door.
The door opened into an antechamber, with double doors that opened into the main chamber. The servants discreetly slipped into the room and began lighting lamps, revealing a generously sized sitting room with a large fireplace taking up much of the wall to the right. This, once lit, gave the chamber a much more comfortable atmosphere. The far wall was virtually covered with pale green drapes of heavy velvet, suggesting that during daylight hours there would be plenty of natural light. The left wall held a pair of doors. The floor was marble of a grey-green hue, and the walls and ceiling were of wood paneling painted white.
A settee sat before the fireplace, with an armchair to either side, creating a comfortable seating area. These were generously padded and upholstered in pearly grey, and embroidered with vines of green ivy. End tables of dark wood, each holding a brass lamp, stood at either end of the settee. Near to the windows stood a table of rich, dark wood, with four chairs, the seats upholstered in fabric matching the drapes. Two more such chairs sat against the right wall, while a sideboard of dark wood stood against the left wall. A brass chandelier of candles, with detailing of brass ivy leaves, hung above the table. Along the left wall, between the two doors, stood a writing desk, with a chair, and a matching book case. The bookcase was empty and only a lamp sat upon the desk.
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
(avatar by Talon Yoseijo)
(avatar by Talon Yoseijo)
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Caelin
Farathorn let Aesa lead the way, but very calmly commented on the remark that had made her blush, though he did so purposefully in an official manner, albeit a friendly one. "Your safety and instruction are my two foremost concerns, Mylady. The first that will try to compromise your safety while you are under my guard, will definately have to make sure that I no longer am capable of moving, before even getting the chance of approaching you." While his manner had been official, his voice indicated that he was deadly serious about what he had just stated.
He listened closely to what she had to say, while they moved past the guards and started to decend the stairs, before he nodded to her and smiled. "No warrior I ever met would leave home without at least a few of their own pieces of weaponry. Using a sword for so many years and then not having it anymore, is like losing a dear friend." He stated to her, just before the chatelaine arrived and in a tone low enough that the latter could not possibly have heard his words.
As the chatelaine greeted him, he made a brief bow and smiled. "I thank you for the welcome." The achadhiel refrained from further comment, although the thought rose of the chatelaine that had ingnored him completely before the betrothal dinner. He remained quiet and friendly however and followed the woman, now leading Lady Aesa. As he entered through the antechamber and saw the actual quarters, his eyes widened slightly and he took a swift glance at Aesa. His voice revealed an admiration of what he had just laid eyes upon. "The chamber is beautiful, natural materials and decorated with taste. You honour me, Mylady." The achadhiel looked around the room, then raised a brow as he looked at Lady Aesa and spoke in a low voice. "I think however that they forgot to place a bed in it. I do need some sleep on occasion."
He listened closely to what she had to say, while they moved past the guards and started to decend the stairs, before he nodded to her and smiled. "No warrior I ever met would leave home without at least a few of their own pieces of weaponry. Using a sword for so many years and then not having it anymore, is like losing a dear friend." He stated to her, just before the chatelaine arrived and in a tone low enough that the latter could not possibly have heard his words.
As the chatelaine greeted him, he made a brief bow and smiled. "I thank you for the welcome." The achadhiel refrained from further comment, although the thought rose of the chatelaine that had ingnored him completely before the betrothal dinner. He remained quiet and friendly however and followed the woman, now leading Lady Aesa. As he entered through the antechamber and saw the actual quarters, his eyes widened slightly and he took a swift glance at Aesa. His voice revealed an admiration of what he had just laid eyes upon. "The chamber is beautiful, natural materials and decorated with taste. You honour me, Mylady." The achadhiel looked around the room, then raised a brow as he looked at Lady Aesa and spoke in a low voice. "I think however that they forgot to place a bed in it. I do need some sleep on occasion."
The young woman barely managed to stifle a laugh at Farathorn’s quiet comment. She had been about to reply to his words of appreciation, but chose to gently bite her lower lip instead.
At that flicker, a soft, warm light began to shine beyond the far door, through which the two servants had disappeared only flickers before. The Chatelaine peered within, nodded to some unheard address, and then turned back to Aesa and Farathorn.
“Within is your bedchamber, Master Farathorn, and your bath,†she said in her accustomed neutral tone, stepping back from the doorway to allow them to pass, if they so chose.
The far wall was dominated by a vast canopied bed of rich dark wood, ornately carved in an ivy motif, and hung with grey-green brocaded silk. The bed was made up with crisp white linen, several plump pillows, and a mossy green silk coverlet, edged with silvery-grey and pale green embroidery. To either side of the bed stood a matching dark wood side table with a smaller brass and glass lamp than in the sitting room, but still in that same ivy motif. The wall to the right held a pair of curtained windows, their fabric matching that of the bed curtains, and between them stood a dressing table and mirror, with a small padded stool, upholstered in pearly grey damask. The wall to the left held one door, this too showing soft light from beyond, and an expansive wardrobe, again of matching wood and motif to the bed. The walls, ceiling and floor were the same as those in the sitting room, with the exception that to either side of the bed lay a woven rug to prevent the bed’s occupants from stepping out of a warm bed onto a cold marble floor.
“Your bath chamber is, of course, through this door,†the Chatelaine explained in her bland voice, having just stuck her nose through the aforementioned door to check on the progress of the serants.
The suite could have comfortably domiciled a couple, but was spotlessly clean and devoid of personal items, making it seem as though Farathorn were its first occupant.
At that flicker, a soft, warm light began to shine beyond the far door, through which the two servants had disappeared only flickers before. The Chatelaine peered within, nodded to some unheard address, and then turned back to Aesa and Farathorn.
“Within is your bedchamber, Master Farathorn, and your bath,†she said in her accustomed neutral tone, stepping back from the doorway to allow them to pass, if they so chose.
The far wall was dominated by a vast canopied bed of rich dark wood, ornately carved in an ivy motif, and hung with grey-green brocaded silk. The bed was made up with crisp white linen, several plump pillows, and a mossy green silk coverlet, edged with silvery-grey and pale green embroidery. To either side of the bed stood a matching dark wood side table with a smaller brass and glass lamp than in the sitting room, but still in that same ivy motif. The wall to the right held a pair of curtained windows, their fabric matching that of the bed curtains, and between them stood a dressing table and mirror, with a small padded stool, upholstered in pearly grey damask. The wall to the left held one door, this too showing soft light from beyond, and an expansive wardrobe, again of matching wood and motif to the bed. The walls, ceiling and floor were the same as those in the sitting room, with the exception that to either side of the bed lay a woven rug to prevent the bed’s occupants from stepping out of a warm bed onto a cold marble floor.
“Your bath chamber is, of course, through this door,†the Chatelaine explained in her bland voice, having just stuck her nose through the aforementioned door to check on the progress of the serants.
The suite could have comfortably domiciled a couple, but was spotlessly clean and devoid of personal items, making it seem as though Farathorn were its first occupant.
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
(avatar by Talon Yoseijo)
(avatar by Talon Yoseijo)
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Caelin
The achadhiel stepped into the bedchamber and glanced around, scratched his head and walked to the bathroom and allowed himself to take in the luxury of the entire quarters, then shook his head as he walked out again. Not a single word had crossed his lips so far and within his eyes flickered a hint of insecurity. Finally mustering enough willpower to speak up, he set his eyes upon Lady Aesa as he moved back into the general room. "This will take some time to get used to I'm afraid." His thoughts raced as he spoke the words. Not even my house in Kings Court is this luxurious, despite the fact that I actually own that place. He dropped his pack on the floor and set his bow and quiver beside it, then turned his attention back to Aesa.
"I think I am at a loss for words, Mylady. All this room for just a single person?" Within his voice a sound of hesitation seemed to linger, wondering whether this was not too far above his stature. His eyes could not help but wander through the room time and time again, glancing from one piece of furniture to the other and wondering if he would ever use all these. Turning away his eyes from the interior decoration of the room, he locked his eyes onto those of Lady Aesa, then bowed slowly. "These quarters will be quite a bit more then enough for me, Lady Aesa, I thank you for your kindness." Slowly he rose again and his gratitude was readable within his eyes.
"I think I am at a loss for words, Mylady. All this room for just a single person?" Within his voice a sound of hesitation seemed to linger, wondering whether this was not too far above his stature. His eyes could not help but wander through the room time and time again, glancing from one piece of furniture to the other and wondering if he would ever use all these. Turning away his eyes from the interior decoration of the room, he locked his eyes onto those of Lady Aesa, then bowed slowly. "These quarters will be quite a bit more then enough for me, Lady Aesa, I thank you for your kindness." Slowly he rose again and his gratitude was readable within his eyes.
-
Guest
The bathing room was, not surprisingly, quite spacious and beautifully appointed. Its central feature was a large tub built into the floor, with two steps leading up into it and elegant silver taps to fill it. The Palace was one of the few places that actually boasted hot and cold running water, and the residents were certainly not expected to go without this luxury. The large tub, occupying the far wall was finished in tiny ceramic tiles of grey-green and white, as was the floor. To one side, on a tiled shelf, stood several decorative coloured glass jars with lids, with various substances inside. Also in this room, along the right-hand wall, were the expected washstand, although this too had silver taps, and the necessary. On the wall to the left stood another door, likely the opposing side of the one in the sitting room that had not been opened. Interestingly, the tile floor felt pleasantly warm to the touch.
Aesa peered around with interest. Although she had recovered from the initial shock of the luxurious surroundings in which she now lived, the young lady was still rather in awe of what the Palace had to offer. Certainly she had found here conditions far above and beyond anything that could be found in a Trothgardian tent. She nodded with silent understanding at Farathorn’s awed words.
“I cannot take credit for quite all of this,†she demurred artlessly, her cool blue eyes carrying her empathy with his reaction. “In fact, I think that if you should ever visit the guestrooms, you will be wondering why I have treated you so meanly,†Aesa jested, allowing herself an almost playful smile. He was easy to be comfortable with; a rare find for the young lady-warrior in this strange land that was now her home.
Aesa peered around with interest. Although she had recovered from the initial shock of the luxurious surroundings in which she now lived, the young lady was still rather in awe of what the Palace had to offer. Certainly she had found here conditions far above and beyond anything that could be found in a Trothgardian tent. She nodded with silent understanding at Farathorn’s awed words.
“I cannot take credit for quite all of this,†she demurred artlessly, her cool blue eyes carrying her empathy with his reaction. “In fact, I think that if you should ever visit the guestrooms, you will be wondering why I have treated you so meanly,†Aesa jested, allowing herself an almost playful smile. He was easy to be comfortable with; a rare find for the young lady-warrior in this strange land that was now her home.
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Caelin
Farathorn laughed at her jest, but shook his head a little later and started to explain why he had done so. "I beg to differ, Mylady. In this room I could eventually get myself to feel at home, which would be near impossible in an even more luxurious room as this. I would be too scared to scratch or even break anything. Whomever decorated these quarters made sure that it reflected nature within the choice of materials and patterns. That presence makes it easier to get accustomed to."
With a grin he looked around himself again and commented dryly. "Though I have to admit that is a very long way from sleeping under the stars and just a tad less so from the simple quarters I was used to in the service of my former employer." He had purposefully avoided to use Manyana's name, as they were not the only persons within the room, but he was almost sure that Aesa would get the meaning why he had done so. She was an intelligent young woman after all, according to his opinion. Perhaps they had more in common then he had initially thought, judging by the way she looked around the rooms herself. Slowly he started to wonder what her life had been like, before she came here. Thinking on this, it became more and more evident to him why they seemed to get along this well.
Slowly he approached her and gently slid one of his short swords out of the sheath, then handed it to her hilt first. The weapon showed obvious signs of use, but was well-kept nontheless and done so with care. For a warrior to hand his sword to another this way, showed a clear sign of trust.
With a grin he looked around himself again and commented dryly. "Though I have to admit that is a very long way from sleeping under the stars and just a tad less so from the simple quarters I was used to in the service of my former employer." He had purposefully avoided to use Manyana's name, as they were not the only persons within the room, but he was almost sure that Aesa would get the meaning why he had done so. She was an intelligent young woman after all, according to his opinion. Perhaps they had more in common then he had initially thought, judging by the way she looked around the rooms herself. Slowly he started to wonder what her life had been like, before she came here. Thinking on this, it became more and more evident to him why they seemed to get along this well.
Slowly he approached her and gently slid one of his short swords out of the sheath, then handed it to her hilt first. The weapon showed obvious signs of use, but was well-kept nontheless and done so with care. For a warrior to hand his sword to another this way, showed a clear sign of trust.
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Guest
“It is, indeed,†she agreed almost wistfully. Sleeping under that stars was sometimes preferable though, to the strange world she now found herself in. Then she smiled at the thought of the various possibilities for accommodation that service under the ugly little Guildmaster might entail. This time, her smile almost touched the crystalline coolness of her eyes.
The Chatelaine was busily seeing to the last of the preparations for the suite and was fortunately paying little attention to the pair. At the flicker that Farathorn offered his sword to Aesa, she was not within the same chamber, otherwise she might have been alarmed.
Aesa, however, was not. She could clearly see that Farathorn had no ill intent in drawing his weapon. His movements were entirely wrong for an attack.
As he held out the weapon to her, her eyes grew larger with surprise as she looked upon it, although her other features remained placid. With her heart in her throat at such a gesture, she took the hilt in her hand in what was almost a caress, before gripping it firmly. Then she looked up into Farathorn's eyes.
The Chatelaine was busily seeing to the last of the preparations for the suite and was fortunately paying little attention to the pair. At the flicker that Farathorn offered his sword to Aesa, she was not within the same chamber, otherwise she might have been alarmed.
Aesa, however, was not. She could clearly see that Farathorn had no ill intent in drawing his weapon. His movements were entirely wrong for an attack.
As he held out the weapon to her, her eyes grew larger with surprise as she looked upon it, although her other features remained placid. With her heart in her throat at such a gesture, she took the hilt in her hand in what was almost a caress, before gripping it firmly. Then she looked up into Farathorn's eyes.
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Caelin
Farathorn nodded to her, his eyes resting focussed on hers and from the moment she took the blade, a sparkle had appeared within them. "You have but to call upon me, Lady Aesa, and that blade and the hand that guides it shall be at your side. Should you ever be in danger in the confines of your own chambers at night, drop something heavy upon the floor." The sincerity in his soft voice had been evident and left her with no doubt that he would actually charge inside, even at the risk of his own life. Farathorn began to smile, then pointed at the blade, while at the same time he raised his voice to its normal level.
"Is the balance of it to your liking, Mylady? Should the grip be a little thinner then this? Is the weight of it correct or should it be altered?" He stated calmly, changing the subject before anyone would enter the room and overhear their conversation. The achadhiel was careful enough to realise that the walls probably had ears, the servants most likely had big ears and some even might extra money by selling the information they had picked up. A very smal nod towards Lady Aesa, meant to signal that he changed the subject on purpose. The former smith began to feel more comfortable around the Lady, yet showed clear signs of keeping his head together.
He lowered his voice to a mere whisper, after looking around and making sure nobody had entered in the meantime. "Mylady, tomorrow at around mid-tradetide I shall be back again from my shopping, if you can then come and speak with me, or give me a time and place to your convenience. I believe I have a few things to discuss with you, concerning things that may happen in future. Bring your swords, so that it looks as simple business." He glanced around again and turned the volume of his voice back to normal. "If you please, Mylady, tomorrow I shall have to take a look at that sword of yours, to weigh and measure it." He added with a small wink.
"Is the balance of it to your liking, Mylady? Should the grip be a little thinner then this? Is the weight of it correct or should it be altered?" He stated calmly, changing the subject before anyone would enter the room and overhear their conversation. The achadhiel was careful enough to realise that the walls probably had ears, the servants most likely had big ears and some even might extra money by selling the information they had picked up. A very smal nod towards Lady Aesa, meant to signal that he changed the subject on purpose. The former smith began to feel more comfortable around the Lady, yet showed clear signs of keeping his head together.
He lowered his voice to a mere whisper, after looking around and making sure nobody had entered in the meantime. "Mylady, tomorrow at around mid-tradetide I shall be back again from my shopping, if you can then come and speak with me, or give me a time and place to your convenience. I believe I have a few things to discuss with you, concerning things that may happen in future. Bring your swords, so that it looks as simple business." He glanced around again and turned the volume of his voice back to normal. "If you please, Mylady, tomorrow I shall have to take a look at that sword of yours, to weigh and measure it." He added with a small wink.
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Guest
For a flicker or two, Aesa forgot about the world; there was only herself and the man who stood before her, pledging himself as her protector. The young warrior could certainly hold her own in a fight, but there seemed to her something profound and intimate in his gesture, beyond an assumption of prowess. She had had women, and even a few men, pledge their services to her, of course, but this was somehow different and the certainty of his sincerity touched her deeply. As she stood there, Aesa could hear her heart beating and wondered if Farathorn could as well.
“I shall,†she replied in almost a whisper, her lower lip trembling slightly and her eyes locked on his. “And I thank you, Master Farathorn.†It seemed so inadequate, but she knew not how to express what she was feeling. In truth, Aesa was not entirely sure what she was feeling, for this was entirely new to her.
As the Achadhiel smiled, Aesa lowered her gaze to the blade, following his gesture. His timing was good, as his change of tone just preceded the Chatelaine’s re-emergence into the chamber. The woman regarded the pair with thinly veiled surprise that was then dismissed with a flutter of dismissive eyelashes, as the Chatelaine took a last look about, moving once again out of sight. Aesa took no notice of the woman, however, as she tested the weapon, feeling it’s weight and it’s movement. At his signal though, she realized what Farathorn was about and was grateful that one of them was thinking clearly.
“It is an excellent weapon, Master Farathorn,†she replied, in what she hoped was a casual tone. How very odd this all was, she considered to herself for a flicker, still admiring the sword. “Perhaps a little adjustment to the hilt to accommodate my grip,†Aesa mused aloud.
Aesa gave the smallest nod of understanding and then responded in a normal tone, “Naturally, I shall come by some time after mid-Tradetide tomorrow to speak with you about it. But perhaps for now we should acquaint you with the kitchens.†It sounded so formal, but there was a gleam in her cool blue eyes that suggested something less so. Then she returned Farathorn’s sword to him, hilt first.
“Madam Chatelaine,†Aesa called out, turning away from the Achadhiel to claim the woman’s attention. “Is there a key form Master Farathorn?†she asked, knowing full well that there was and suspecting that the woman was merely dawdling about it in order to hang about.
“Of course, Lady Aesa,†came the reply, as the woman returned quickly into view, and a key was immediately produced from one of the Chatelaine’s pockets. This she handed over to Farathorn with a polite curtsy and an enquiry as to any further needs he might have. “The bell-pulls will bring a servant at any burn of the day or night, of course,†the matron added.
“I shall,†she replied in almost a whisper, her lower lip trembling slightly and her eyes locked on his. “And I thank you, Master Farathorn.†It seemed so inadequate, but she knew not how to express what she was feeling. In truth, Aesa was not entirely sure what she was feeling, for this was entirely new to her.
As the Achadhiel smiled, Aesa lowered her gaze to the blade, following his gesture. His timing was good, as his change of tone just preceded the Chatelaine’s re-emergence into the chamber. The woman regarded the pair with thinly veiled surprise that was then dismissed with a flutter of dismissive eyelashes, as the Chatelaine took a last look about, moving once again out of sight. Aesa took no notice of the woman, however, as she tested the weapon, feeling it’s weight and it’s movement. At his signal though, she realized what Farathorn was about and was grateful that one of them was thinking clearly.
“It is an excellent weapon, Master Farathorn,†she replied, in what she hoped was a casual tone. How very odd this all was, she considered to herself for a flicker, still admiring the sword. “Perhaps a little adjustment to the hilt to accommodate my grip,†Aesa mused aloud.
Aesa gave the smallest nod of understanding and then responded in a normal tone, “Naturally, I shall come by some time after mid-Tradetide tomorrow to speak with you about it. But perhaps for now we should acquaint you with the kitchens.†It sounded so formal, but there was a gleam in her cool blue eyes that suggested something less so. Then she returned Farathorn’s sword to him, hilt first.
“Madam Chatelaine,†Aesa called out, turning away from the Achadhiel to claim the woman’s attention. “Is there a key form Master Farathorn?†she asked, knowing full well that there was and suspecting that the woman was merely dawdling about it in order to hang about.
“Of course, Lady Aesa,†came the reply, as the woman returned quickly into view, and a key was immediately produced from one of the Chatelaine’s pockets. This she handed over to Farathorn with a polite curtsy and an enquiry as to any further needs he might have. “The bell-pulls will bring a servant at any burn of the day or night, of course,†the matron added.
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Caelin
Farathorn had spotted the slight tremble of her lips, but made no comment, as he was feeling too awkwardly inside to give one, after the statement he had just made. He did thank the gods silently, for his timing in changing the subject, at the instant he saw the chatelaine enter the room. His eyes rested on Lady Aesa, while she studied the blade he had given her. The more time he spent with her, the more he appreciated her presence, something which he had never had around women before. As she complimented the quality of the sword, the achadhiel nodded in thanks, then made a mental note about what she had said of the thickness of the hilt.
Grateful as well about the sharp intellect of the trothgardian woman, he calmly listed to what she had to say and grinned at 'being acquianted to the kitchen', some introduction that would be. "Mid-tradetide it shall be then, Mylady." He replied in a formal manner, while he accepted back his blade, which in turn disappeared into the empty sheath on his right hip. For a moment he had glanced at the wonderful blue eyes and the hint laying within, that caused something within him to stir. Not accustomed to the sensation, he pondered upon it briefly, which only made his stomach squeeze even more, yet this time not having to do anything with hunger for food. Very strange this feeling. It comes close to what I felt like with the dryads, but not quite the same. The intensity is not the same either.... and why is my heart beating faster when she looks into my eyes?
He wanted to add more to his earlier words, but refrained from speaking up, as Aesa addressed the chatelaine. He took the key presented to him by the chatelaine, after she had been asked for it by his future pupil, then smiled politely and nodded in thanks. The enquiry if there was somethng else he needed, made him briefly ponder on it before he reacted. "Actually, some parchment, ink and a quill would be nice, provided the writing table is not already equipped with such. I think that I shall refrain from using that bell-pull at night. I thank you for your preparing the room in a good fashion however." Farathorn stated in a polite and gentle manner.
Grateful as well about the sharp intellect of the trothgardian woman, he calmly listed to what she had to say and grinned at 'being acquianted to the kitchen', some introduction that would be. "Mid-tradetide it shall be then, Mylady." He replied in a formal manner, while he accepted back his blade, which in turn disappeared into the empty sheath on his right hip. For a moment he had glanced at the wonderful blue eyes and the hint laying within, that caused something within him to stir. Not accustomed to the sensation, he pondered upon it briefly, which only made his stomach squeeze even more, yet this time not having to do anything with hunger for food. Very strange this feeling. It comes close to what I felt like with the dryads, but not quite the same. The intensity is not the same either.... and why is my heart beating faster when she looks into my eyes?
He wanted to add more to his earlier words, but refrained from speaking up, as Aesa addressed the chatelaine. He took the key presented to him by the chatelaine, after she had been asked for it by his future pupil, then smiled politely and nodded in thanks. The enquiry if there was somethng else he needed, made him briefly ponder on it before he reacted. "Actually, some parchment, ink and a quill would be nice, provided the writing table is not already equipped with such. I think that I shall refrain from using that bell-pull at night. I thank you for your preparing the room in a good fashion however." Farathorn stated in a polite and gentle manner.
-
Guest
“Of course, Master Farathorn. I shall have a servant provide the writing materials immediately,†replied the Chatelaine. Then she curtsied respectfully and departed through the double doors and out through the door beyond, leaving Lady Aesa and Farathorn alone in the suite.
“Are you still hungry, Master Farathorn?†Aesa asked, her cool exterior once more in place, although for the flicker she seemed to be avoiding meeting his gaze directly. "Shall we find the kitchens?"
“Are you still hungry, Master Farathorn?†Aesa asked, her cool exterior once more in place, although for the flicker she seemed to be avoiding meeting his gaze directly. "Shall we find the kitchens?"
-
Caelin
The achadhiel, now reminded of the fact that he had not eaten yet, nodded to Aesa and once again offered her his arm, while he pointed towards the bell-cord. "Although I have a feeling that pulling that cord will get a complete meal here within half of a mark, I prefer going to the kitchen. I'm not used to being waited upon." For a moment he fell silent as the reality of it hit him, a brief moment of feeling displaced reflecting on his face, before he turned his head and looked at the trothgardian woman's face, then spoke in a more casual manner with a warm voice that carried a caring undertone. "That must be strange for you as well, I imagine. What was your life like on Trothgard, before you came here?" The plainly asked question revealed an honest interest in the life she had led, before she had come to the citadel.
He had spoken without much thinking and the intimacy of the direct question sank in afterwards, which made him blush slightly, not knowing whether this would be considered inappropriate.
He had spoken without much thinking and the intimacy of the direct question sank in afterwards, which made him blush slightly, not knowing whether this would be considered inappropriate.
-
Guest
Aesa moved toward the door as Farathorn asked of her homeland. He could not make out her face, but her reply showed no offence at the nature of his address.
“It was very different from the Citadel in so many ways,†she began, leading him from the suite; her voice pitched low so as not to disturb anyone at the late mark. “My home was a tent, furnished with lush furs and plump pillows, rather than wooden furniture. My family’s tents were clustered together, as is our custom.†She went on to describe some of the more mundane features of everyday life as they descended the several staircases to the main level.
“As a female relative of our Kona, I held a place of honour within our society that is not understood here, it seems. In fact, it is the women who lead our society…†Aesa was hard pressed not to add, ‘as it should be’ to her sentence, but she resisted. “I was raised a warrior, of course, and taught the ways of the Ice Queen and of governance. I spent much of my time out of doors, hunting when I was not training or studying.â€
The various guards stationed along the way regarded them with carefully veiled interest, snapping to attention at the lady’s approach. This behaviour she took in her stride, with barely detectable nods acknowledging their presence and reassuring them that she was quite well. From the bottom of the last staircase, they turned toward the Great Hall. Just before they had reached the vast chamber, however, Aesa opened a panel almost concealed in one wall of the broad corridor.
“Servants’ access to the lower areas of the Palace. The kitchens are down here,†she explained with a shy smile at Farathorn, as she began to descend the dimly lit staircase.
“It was very different from the Citadel in so many ways,†she began, leading him from the suite; her voice pitched low so as not to disturb anyone at the late mark. “My home was a tent, furnished with lush furs and plump pillows, rather than wooden furniture. My family’s tents were clustered together, as is our custom.†She went on to describe some of the more mundane features of everyday life as they descended the several staircases to the main level.
“As a female relative of our Kona, I held a place of honour within our society that is not understood here, it seems. In fact, it is the women who lead our society…†Aesa was hard pressed not to add, ‘as it should be’ to her sentence, but she resisted. “I was raised a warrior, of course, and taught the ways of the Ice Queen and of governance. I spent much of my time out of doors, hunting when I was not training or studying.â€
The various guards stationed along the way regarded them with carefully veiled interest, snapping to attention at the lady’s approach. This behaviour she took in her stride, with barely detectable nods acknowledging their presence and reassuring them that she was quite well. From the bottom of the last staircase, they turned toward the Great Hall. Just before they had reached the vast chamber, however, Aesa opened a panel almost concealed in one wall of the broad corridor.
“Servants’ access to the lower areas of the Palace. The kitchens are down here,†she explained with a shy smile at Farathorn, as she began to descend the dimly lit staircase.
-
Caelin
The achadhiel listened closely to the details of every day life, given by Aesa, meanwhile comparing it to life on Kislovan. How different their cultures were. Taking mental notes as they walked, he also memorised a few questions regarding life on Trothgard. Especially the fact that the women ruled the island he found somewhat intrigueing, as this would pose certain difficulties, according the way he was brought up himself. So the Kona is their version of a queen, in a matriarchical society, related to the queen, she has been brought up to possibly rule, with all the trimmings of their culture. This Ice Queen must then be their goddess, just as the Mother is to most elves.
Standing still before the door opened by Aesa, he could not stop himself from comment. "How many more of these doors are there?" He asked casually as he followed her down the staircase. In his mind slowly a picture began to form, as he was putting the information given by Aesa together into a whole. He however noted the location of the door in his memory and would write all the information given by Aesa into a book or on the parchment, which the servants would probably have put into his room by now.
As they passed one of the torches, Farathorn gently placed a hand on Aesa's arm, as if asking her to stop for a flicker, then spoke in a soft voice. "So the Kona is your matriarch, and you as a female family member were trained from an early age to rule, possibly to take over her place in future? If that is correct, then the Ice Queen would be the goddess you all pay service to. If I am correct so far, then you have not only come to a place where your surroundings are very much different from your old home, but to a patriarchical society as well, which makes you feel even more out of place, am I right? You couldn't have felt more dislocated, then if they had placed you in the midst of a camp full of orcs, for which I am sorry." His voice carried a sense of sadness and sympathy. "You must be a strong and courageous woman, but if there is anything I can do to make you feel more at home, please feel free to ask me." He paused for an instant, then removed his hand slowly, only realising now that he had been holding her arm all the time. He had not even asked about the men of trothgard, which no doubt most men would have done with their first question, yet the achadhiel seemed only concerned with her well-being.
Standing still before the door opened by Aesa, he could not stop himself from comment. "How many more of these doors are there?" He asked casually as he followed her down the staircase. In his mind slowly a picture began to form, as he was putting the information given by Aesa together into a whole. He however noted the location of the door in his memory and would write all the information given by Aesa into a book or on the parchment, which the servants would probably have put into his room by now.
As they passed one of the torches, Farathorn gently placed a hand on Aesa's arm, as if asking her to stop for a flicker, then spoke in a soft voice. "So the Kona is your matriarch, and you as a female family member were trained from an early age to rule, possibly to take over her place in future? If that is correct, then the Ice Queen would be the goddess you all pay service to. If I am correct so far, then you have not only come to a place where your surroundings are very much different from your old home, but to a patriarchical society as well, which makes you feel even more out of place, am I right? You couldn't have felt more dislocated, then if they had placed you in the midst of a camp full of orcs, for which I am sorry." His voice carried a sense of sadness and sympathy. "You must be a strong and courageous woman, but if there is anything I can do to make you feel more at home, please feel free to ask me." He paused for an instant, then removed his hand slowly, only realising now that he had been holding her arm all the time. He had not even asked about the men of trothgard, which no doubt most men would have done with their first question, yet the achadhiel seemed only concerned with her well-being.
-
Guest
At Farathorns question about the doors, Aesa replied, “Dozens, I would imagine.†Then she paused in her descent as he addressed her once more, and nodded as Farathorn strung his thoughts together. “You are quite right that this is truly a foreign world to me, and I thank you for your offer, but I must learn to adjust. It is my duty.†Her voice held the pride of her land, but there was no scorn or rejection of his offer to help or his sympathy with her situation.
Continuing their descent, they quickly found themselves in a quiet corridor much narrower than those above, and entirely unadorned, but spotlessly clean. Turning to her left, the lady led Farathorn to a large door only a few paces from the base of the stairs. She smiled over her shoulder in what was apparently meant to be a reassuring manner and then pushed open the door.
Inside was the cavernous domain of Master Chef Warnock, although the great man was nowhere to be seen at this mark, so near to Gravetide. Indeed, the vast chamber was dimly lit at this hour, but it was clearly divided into functional kitchens with specific purposes. At the far end of the chamber, fires burned only in the baking hearths, and those looked to be newly set. Here, two kitchen servants were scrubbing the long baking tables in preparation for their use by the bakers who would arrive with marks.
At the sight of their illustrious visitor and her guest, both servants dropped their brushed where they were and hurried to attend to the lady’s wishes. It seemed that at least the female of the two servants had waited on her like this before.
“Lady Aesa, milord. We are humbled by your presence,†she greeted them with a deep, reverent curtsy, which her fellow servant quickly echoed with a similarly deferential bow. “How may we serve you?â€
At Aesa’s request for a snack, the two servants happily ushered Aesa and Farathorn to seats by one of the baking hearths. These were but mere stools, with a small, squat barrel to form a table between them. The pair then hurried off to gather together something of a meal for their guests, both clearly delighted at the honour of serving the lady herself.
As Aesa sat across the makeshift table in the firelight, she looked far more at home in this simple setting than Farathorn had yet seen her. Still, she retained every measure of dignity befitting a lady of her status. It was an odd juxtaposition indeed.
“It seems that the ladies of the Citadel eat a great deal less than a warrior,†Aesa commented, a flash of laughter in her pale blue eyes. “That has made it necessary for me to… adapt,†she explained. “So, I located the kitchens fairly soon after my arrival.†Finally, she laughed just a little, almost as if she were afraid to do so.
Continuing their descent, they quickly found themselves in a quiet corridor much narrower than those above, and entirely unadorned, but spotlessly clean. Turning to her left, the lady led Farathorn to a large door only a few paces from the base of the stairs. She smiled over her shoulder in what was apparently meant to be a reassuring manner and then pushed open the door.
Inside was the cavernous domain of Master Chef Warnock, although the great man was nowhere to be seen at this mark, so near to Gravetide. Indeed, the vast chamber was dimly lit at this hour, but it was clearly divided into functional kitchens with specific purposes. At the far end of the chamber, fires burned only in the baking hearths, and those looked to be newly set. Here, two kitchen servants were scrubbing the long baking tables in preparation for their use by the bakers who would arrive with marks.
At the sight of their illustrious visitor and her guest, both servants dropped their brushed where they were and hurried to attend to the lady’s wishes. It seemed that at least the female of the two servants had waited on her like this before.
“Lady Aesa, milord. We are humbled by your presence,†she greeted them with a deep, reverent curtsy, which her fellow servant quickly echoed with a similarly deferential bow. “How may we serve you?â€
At Aesa’s request for a snack, the two servants happily ushered Aesa and Farathorn to seats by one of the baking hearths. These were but mere stools, with a small, squat barrel to form a table between them. The pair then hurried off to gather together something of a meal for their guests, both clearly delighted at the honour of serving the lady herself.
As Aesa sat across the makeshift table in the firelight, she looked far more at home in this simple setting than Farathorn had yet seen her. Still, she retained every measure of dignity befitting a lady of her status. It was an odd juxtaposition indeed.
“It seems that the ladies of the Citadel eat a great deal less than a warrior,†Aesa commented, a flash of laughter in her pale blue eyes. “That has made it necessary for me to… adapt,†she explained. “So, I located the kitchens fairly soon after my arrival.†Finally, she laughed just a little, almost as if she were afraid to do so.
-
Caelin
Even Farathorn began to feel more at ease, as they sat at the makeshift table and watched the kitchenstaff gather food for them. His ears however were fully focussed on what Aesa was telling him. Just as she had finished to speak, the achadhiel first glanced at her, his smile widening, then slowly he began to laugh. Still within this moment of laughter, something came to mind, which he shared with her. "If I judge this by the way the women at the betrothal dinner were eating, i'd say they would starve before the month were through." He stated, picturing the fine ladies taking such tiny bites of their food, that they would hardly get any sustenance.
Farathorn's face shifted slightly, as he began to tell a little bit more about himself, his voice more serious in tone then before. "I myself have to eat a fair amount of food each day, or I will lose the build I worked up in the past, while I worked in the smithy. My old mentor once told me, that a true master of his weapon must know how to repair and maintain it. Hence I found myself working in the forge, in the middle of summer, while standing next to a fire that radiated heat throughout the entire room. I haven't felt that hot in yahren." Now this was a small exaggeration, but it was solely meant to get the message across. "Yet my cousin, who is a master of this trade, has taken it upon him to run my smithy in Kings Court, thus giving me the time to do as I choose and to pursuit my own goals. I think he is the only elf that has ever treated me kindly, while growing up on Kislovan."
The memory of those days gave him a brief look of sadness, as this was not a fond memory, yet one that had plagued him until he set out to find his own path in life.
Farathorn's face shifted slightly, as he began to tell a little bit more about himself, his voice more serious in tone then before. "I myself have to eat a fair amount of food each day, or I will lose the build I worked up in the past, while I worked in the smithy. My old mentor once told me, that a true master of his weapon must know how to repair and maintain it. Hence I found myself working in the forge, in the middle of summer, while standing next to a fire that radiated heat throughout the entire room. I haven't felt that hot in yahren." Now this was a small exaggeration, but it was solely meant to get the message across. "Yet my cousin, who is a master of this trade, has taken it upon him to run my smithy in Kings Court, thus giving me the time to do as I choose and to pursuit my own goals. I think he is the only elf that has ever treated me kindly, while growing up on Kislovan."
The memory of those days gave him a brief look of sadness, as this was not a fond memory, yet one that had plagued him until he set out to find his own path in life.
-
Guest
Lady Aesa listened with interest as Farathorn spoke about himself and his past. She had never worked a forge, but had watched on occasion. Such labour was left to the men in Trothgard, but the young woman could tell that the Achadhiel took pride in the job. It was yet another new perspective for her.
“I had never even seen an Elf until I came here,†she confided, with a small smile. “In fact, I had never left Trothgard before either.â€
Then her expression became impassive as one servant brought them a large tray with plates, cutlery and napkins, and set it upon the barrel to form their tabletop. She was quickly followed by the other servant, who set a similar tray on the end of one of the long working tables nearest to where they sat. Upon that tray was a basket with two small sliced loaves, one dark and one light; a board of various sliced cheeses; a plate of little sausage rolls in flaky pastry; a plate of smoked fish; a bowl of various pickled vegetables; a small basket of fruit; and several little pots of condiments, including a creamy herbed butter. Apparently they would serve themselves.
The female servant curtsied and returned to her duties, but the male remained a flicker and asked, “May I get you ale or wine, milady, milord?â€
“I’ll have an ale,†Aesa replied to the servant and then turned to Farathorn to let him make his request.
“I had never even seen an Elf until I came here,†she confided, with a small smile. “In fact, I had never left Trothgard before either.â€
Then her expression became impassive as one servant brought them a large tray with plates, cutlery and napkins, and set it upon the barrel to form their tabletop. She was quickly followed by the other servant, who set a similar tray on the end of one of the long working tables nearest to where they sat. Upon that tray was a basket with two small sliced loaves, one dark and one light; a board of various sliced cheeses; a plate of little sausage rolls in flaky pastry; a plate of smoked fish; a bowl of various pickled vegetables; a small basket of fruit; and several little pots of condiments, including a creamy herbed butter. Apparently they would serve themselves.
The female servant curtsied and returned to her duties, but the male remained a flicker and asked, “May I get you ale or wine, milady, milord?â€
“I’ll have an ale,†Aesa replied to the servant and then turned to Farathorn to let him make his request.
-
Caelin
"An Ale as well for me please, there's no better way to wash down the dirt of that Arena." Farathorn grinned widely and reached for the basket with bread, grabbing it and holding it out in front of Aesa. "Ladies first, as common curtesy dictates." He stated with a makeshift serious tone, but smiled and nodded to her. "I left Kislovan at the age of 31 yahren. Where you have been looked up to in your past, I was looked down upon because of my heritage. In Kislovan, the adhiel reign with an iron hand over the humans, who are considered the lowest class, ranking just higher then lifestock. My mother, who was amongst the most beautiful humans on the island, carried herself with pride and stole the heart of my father. The adhiel considered this degrading and shunned him for it. I myself have been the object of scorn all my life."
His voice had taken a harsh but sad tone, as he told onwards. "Among humans, I was considered too much of an adhiel, the very same class that most loathe and among the adhiel I was designated as being too human, someone below them. Always having to fight my way, I never had peace, aside from the hours in the forge with my elder cousin. Yet I have no dislike for either humans or adhiel, as long as they treat me with common respect. On Kislovan, that was impossible, thus I left the island to find a place for myself. First I made my way to the western kingdom, wanting to be as far away from the island as I possibly could. I found a job as an apprentice in the local smithy, within the capitol, until I was sent for materials by the master, which had to be obtained in Taquar. Making my way there, I ran into Manyana for the first time in my life, while we tried to break through the ring of orcs that were on their way to lay siege to Kings Court."
Farathorn told onwards, about the return to Kings court and the unmasking of the treason by the Duke and his accomplishments afterwards. He told of the smithy that he had built and his cousin that had come to help him with it, who now ran the business in his absence. He went on with the events that had brought him here and in Manyana's service and his first mission for her, to find the adhiel mage. He skipped the details of his stay at the dryads however, not yet wanting to reveal the gift he had received from them, until he knew more about it. He did mention them as the reason he woke up in the gardens at the day of the betrothal dinner and his meeting with Zersa and later Ulder. "That is in essence how I came to be here, Mylady, I hope you will not think less of me, now that you know my heritage and how I came to be here."
His voice had taken a harsh but sad tone, as he told onwards. "Among humans, I was considered too much of an adhiel, the very same class that most loathe and among the adhiel I was designated as being too human, someone below them. Always having to fight my way, I never had peace, aside from the hours in the forge with my elder cousin. Yet I have no dislike for either humans or adhiel, as long as they treat me with common respect. On Kislovan, that was impossible, thus I left the island to find a place for myself. First I made my way to the western kingdom, wanting to be as far away from the island as I possibly could. I found a job as an apprentice in the local smithy, within the capitol, until I was sent for materials by the master, which had to be obtained in Taquar. Making my way there, I ran into Manyana for the first time in my life, while we tried to break through the ring of orcs that were on their way to lay siege to Kings Court."
Farathorn told onwards, about the return to Kings court and the unmasking of the treason by the Duke and his accomplishments afterwards. He told of the smithy that he had built and his cousin that had come to help him with it, who now ran the business in his absence. He went on with the events that had brought him here and in Manyana's service and his first mission for her, to find the adhiel mage. He skipped the details of his stay at the dryads however, not yet wanting to reveal the gift he had received from them, until he knew more about it. He did mention them as the reason he woke up in the gardens at the day of the betrothal dinner and his meeting with Zersa and later Ulder. "That is in essence how I came to be here, Mylady, I hope you will not think less of me, now that you know my heritage and how I came to be here."
-
Guest
Aesa took a slice of each loaf from the basket Farathorn held for her, chuckling softly, even self-consciously, at his jest. Then she began helping herself to the other offerings and passing them on to her companion as she listened to him talk of his youth. A look of sympathy and puzzlement touched her cool eyes as Farathorn spoke.
The male servant brought their beverages, bowed and slipped away, as the two sat together, filling their plates with the simple offerings that formed a fairly substantial meal.
“I do not see how such odd opinions could be,†she mused, “but certainly I do not think less of you. There are so many strange ideas…†Aesa declared cryptically, shaking her head. It was all very confusing and so many of these ideas and beliefs made no sense to the Trothgardian woman.
“How you came to be here is… remarkable,†Aesa said, understating what she truly felt. Such magic was nothing commonplace. Then she met Farathorn’s gaze for a flicker and added shyly, “But I am glad that you did.†Her porcelain skin flushed at this uncharacteristic admission and the young woman cast her eyes to her plate.
The male servant brought their beverages, bowed and slipped away, as the two sat together, filling their plates with the simple offerings that formed a fairly substantial meal.
“I do not see how such odd opinions could be,†she mused, “but certainly I do not think less of you. There are so many strange ideas…†Aesa declared cryptically, shaking her head. It was all very confusing and so many of these ideas and beliefs made no sense to the Trothgardian woman.
“How you came to be here is… remarkable,†Aesa said, understating what she truly felt. Such magic was nothing commonplace. Then she met Farathorn’s gaze for a flicker and added shyly, “But I am glad that you did.†Her porcelain skin flushed at this uncharacteristic admission and the young woman cast her eyes to her plate.
-
Caelin
Farathorn helped himself to some bread and a number of the other stuff on the plates, which Aesa passed on to him while he spoke. He had noticed the look of sympathy in her eyes, which made him feel better. After he was done talking, he took a sip of the ale and smiled widely. "Dortenese Ale." Though he fully concentrated on the young woman again in the flicker thereafter. "Lady Aesa, please, what you wish to have explained, do not hesitate to ask, as more then one of the customs on Kislovan can be found here as well." The achadhiel stated frankly and without much bother for protocol, yet remained to use her title. He took a small bite to eat and swallowed it shortly afterwards.
"As for my being here, whether by magical or other means,.. Would you permit me to speak open and honest with you, Lady Aesa?" At this moment he simply locked his gaze upon her, waiting for her to lift her head from her plate and getting her permission to speak. The tone of his voice made clear however, that what he was about to say would not fit into common protocol, but it would be the plain and simple truth to the achadhiel.
"As for my being here, whether by magical or other means,.. Would you permit me to speak open and honest with you, Lady Aesa?" At this moment he simply locked his gaze upon her, waiting for her to lift her head from her plate and getting her permission to speak. The tone of his voice made clear however, that what he was about to say would not fit into common protocol, but it would be the plain and simple truth to the achadhiel.
-
Guest
-
Caelin
Farathorn took a gulp of his ale, set down the goblet and turned towards her, while calmly looking straight into her eyes. "Fine, then I will do so, as there are two things I wish to address. Neither of the two are immediately linked with eachother, but I feel it is my task to bring up the second point to you as well." The achadhiel took a couple of deep breaths, gathered his thoughts in a short amount of time, then began to speak in a low tone of voice, thus preventing the kitchen staff to overhear what he said to her.
"From the moment I laid my eyes on you, you had my full attention. The mere sight of you amidst this court is refreshing and your ways a pure delight. Your request to teach you was just about the best thing that has happened to me so far, but what I will cherish most is the growing friendship between us. I'll pray I shall never fail to keep that friendship alive and will fight to keep it."
With that off his chest, he took another gulp of the ale and set the goblet down again. His heart pounded so hard he could hear the echo in his ears and he had not even stated all he felt, but this was a good start. At least this would give her some insight in how he felt, yet his words had been tempered enough not to offend her or push her off. After another deep breath, he continued with the second point that had crossed his mind. "You are an intelligent and interesting person, Aesa, but as a friend I must warn you. Just as in every court, you will be approached by those seeking your trust, yet there will be plenty with bad intentions, a hunger for power or a set of ulterior motives. I must stress you to be carefull in who you trust and who you allow to get close to you. With Anochrim in control, you will be safer, but should this illness of his get worse, you will have to face the fact that aside from a small circle of friends, you will be alone. It is from this moment onwards, here and now, that you will have to start picking your friends wisely. Manyana and Lady Rioja are people you can trust, they have served your future husband for yahren. You have a purple guardsman in this palace, an officer named Ulder, who is also a man of honor. As for myself, I'll leave that for you to decide, although I hope we will become close friends."
Now the achadhiel fell silent and seemed a little ill at ease, for there were two things he had done just now, which would either be appreciated, accepted as such, or out of place. He had spoken frankly, just as she had granted him to do, but he had pointed her out what the possible threats were. This was not his place to do normally, nor his task to do so, yet he cared for this woman and had even called her by her name. Yet looking after the 'crown' had become his task, next to that of tutoring this magnificent woman. It was a task he would do with pleasure, even more so if that meant having to spend more time with Aesa. It dawned on him that this would mean having to watch out not to lose himself in those lovely eyes acroos the makeshift table, not to mention having to watch his back if he did get very close with the trothgardian woman. During all this, he had kept his gaze locked onto hers, his eyes warm and friendly, but his tone had been serious, albeit evident that he cared for her well-being. With this behind him, he put a piece of bread into his mouth and a small piece of cheese and began to chew.
"From the moment I laid my eyes on you, you had my full attention. The mere sight of you amidst this court is refreshing and your ways a pure delight. Your request to teach you was just about the best thing that has happened to me so far, but what I will cherish most is the growing friendship between us. I'll pray I shall never fail to keep that friendship alive and will fight to keep it."
With that off his chest, he took another gulp of the ale and set the goblet down again. His heart pounded so hard he could hear the echo in his ears and he had not even stated all he felt, but this was a good start. At least this would give her some insight in how he felt, yet his words had been tempered enough not to offend her or push her off. After another deep breath, he continued with the second point that had crossed his mind. "You are an intelligent and interesting person, Aesa, but as a friend I must warn you. Just as in every court, you will be approached by those seeking your trust, yet there will be plenty with bad intentions, a hunger for power or a set of ulterior motives. I must stress you to be carefull in who you trust and who you allow to get close to you. With Anochrim in control, you will be safer, but should this illness of his get worse, you will have to face the fact that aside from a small circle of friends, you will be alone. It is from this moment onwards, here and now, that you will have to start picking your friends wisely. Manyana and Lady Rioja are people you can trust, they have served your future husband for yahren. You have a purple guardsman in this palace, an officer named Ulder, who is also a man of honor. As for myself, I'll leave that for you to decide, although I hope we will become close friends."
Now the achadhiel fell silent and seemed a little ill at ease, for there were two things he had done just now, which would either be appreciated, accepted as such, or out of place. He had spoken frankly, just as she had granted him to do, but he had pointed her out what the possible threats were. This was not his place to do normally, nor his task to do so, yet he cared for this woman and had even called her by her name. Yet looking after the 'crown' had become his task, next to that of tutoring this magnificent woman. It was a task he would do with pleasure, even more so if that meant having to spend more time with Aesa. It dawned on him that this would mean having to watch out not to lose himself in those lovely eyes acroos the makeshift table, not to mention having to watch his back if he did get very close with the trothgardian woman. During all this, he had kept his gaze locked onto hers, his eyes warm and friendly, but his tone had been serious, albeit evident that he cared for her well-being. With this behind him, he put a piece of bread into his mouth and a small piece of cheese and began to chew.
Last edited by Caelin on Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guest
The lady sat quietly, listening to all that Farathorn had to say. Her expression never wavered, nor did she break the contact of his gaze. She did not speak until he had finished, and even then she sat quietly contemplating for a burn or two.
“To your second point first,†she began, her voice low but clear. “It has always been necessary for me to… choose my… confidants carefully, but far more so since I arrived in the Citadel.†The two pauses in her reply suggested that she was carefully measuring her choice of words. “I thank you for your recommendations. I shall heed them.†The young woman was clearly not offended by Farathorn’s mention of this subject, despite her carefully worded reply.
Then Aesa took a deep breath and said, “As to your first point, Master Farathorn, because I must be so careful, I rarely make… friends.†Again the delay while she chose the right word. “Ours is something new to me,†she confessed. “I have not had male friends,†Aesa added, hoping to clarify her statement, even as she wondered if that was all that was different between them. The thought caused a flush to suffuse her cheeks and she quickly looked down into her plate.
Suddenly, Aesa looked up, into Farathorn’s eyes, and avowed, “I don’t trust easily.â€
“To your second point first,†she began, her voice low but clear. “It has always been necessary for me to… choose my… confidants carefully, but far more so since I arrived in the Citadel.†The two pauses in her reply suggested that she was carefully measuring her choice of words. “I thank you for your recommendations. I shall heed them.†The young woman was clearly not offended by Farathorn’s mention of this subject, despite her carefully worded reply.
Then Aesa took a deep breath and said, “As to your first point, Master Farathorn, because I must be so careful, I rarely make… friends.†Again the delay while she chose the right word. “Ours is something new to me,†she confessed. “I have not had male friends,†Aesa added, hoping to clarify her statement, even as she wondered if that was all that was different between them. The thought caused a flush to suffuse her cheeks and she quickly looked down into her plate.
Suddenly, Aesa looked up, into Farathorn’s eyes, and avowed, “I don’t trust easily.â€
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Caelin
Farathorn nodded as she replied his second point, noticing that Aesa was indeed wise enough to be careful despite her young age. The achadhiel kept his eyes fixed on hers and listened to every word she spoke, satisfied in the knowledge that his words had not fallen on deaf ears, but that they were heeded and taken into account. He ate a little, but did so by finding his food by means of touch, not wanting to break the contact they had at this moment.
Then the trothgardian woman began to answer his first point and a smile formed on his face, unwillingly but present nontheless, carrying a warmth that had not been on his face for quite some time. In fact, he had never looked upon another woman in this way and her words were something he could relate to. As she was done and broke the gaze, Farathorn began to formulate a reply in his mind, but then again she lifted her head and the eyes locked onto eachother again. His heart beated a little faster, but his mind raced. Slowly however, he began to speak, his voice soft, audible to her only and filled with the warmth that he felt inside. "Aesa, it is good that you do not trust easily and I hope I shall be one of the few to earn it. I am happy to hear that you are a careful person, yet I will always try and keep your back covered."
He paused for a moment to let his words and the consequences thereof sink into her mind, before he continued to address the reply given to his first point he had made. "I have very few friends myself, as I make a distinct difference between friends and people I choose to mingle with. Due to the way I grew up, I choose my friends with the atmost care, yet in contrary to you I have only made male friends. That is something we seem to share, never having had friends of the opposite sexe. For people like us, trust comes hard and has to be earned. For me, I could not even be in a relationship where I would not be able to trust my partner, it simply would not feel right. In turn, that may mean I will remain single for the rest of my life, unless the right person comes along. That is a choice I have, provided fate or the gods do not have other plans, which you unfortunately had not." Acting within the emotion of the conversation, he held out his hand to her with his palm turned upwards, yet made sure that the same hand was covered from sight by the makeshift table.
The achadhiel's eyes sparkled briefly, as he kept his hand held out. "You can do me one small favor however, Mylady, please call me Farathorn during those times that we will spend working together. I am aware that during court and in public this cannot be so, but at least grant me that small comfort. I am not used to being addressed with a title." His last words were spoken in a normal tone of voice, to prevent gossip from starting in the palace and to throw off the kitchen staff about what kind of conversation they have had. Now they would assume that their dinner conversation has been about her lessons.
Then the trothgardian woman began to answer his first point and a smile formed on his face, unwillingly but present nontheless, carrying a warmth that had not been on his face for quite some time. In fact, he had never looked upon another woman in this way and her words were something he could relate to. As she was done and broke the gaze, Farathorn began to formulate a reply in his mind, but then again she lifted her head and the eyes locked onto eachother again. His heart beated a little faster, but his mind raced. Slowly however, he began to speak, his voice soft, audible to her only and filled with the warmth that he felt inside. "Aesa, it is good that you do not trust easily and I hope I shall be one of the few to earn it. I am happy to hear that you are a careful person, yet I will always try and keep your back covered."
He paused for a moment to let his words and the consequences thereof sink into her mind, before he continued to address the reply given to his first point he had made. "I have very few friends myself, as I make a distinct difference between friends and people I choose to mingle with. Due to the way I grew up, I choose my friends with the atmost care, yet in contrary to you I have only made male friends. That is something we seem to share, never having had friends of the opposite sexe. For people like us, trust comes hard and has to be earned. For me, I could not even be in a relationship where I would not be able to trust my partner, it simply would not feel right. In turn, that may mean I will remain single for the rest of my life, unless the right person comes along. That is a choice I have, provided fate or the gods do not have other plans, which you unfortunately had not." Acting within the emotion of the conversation, he held out his hand to her with his palm turned upwards, yet made sure that the same hand was covered from sight by the makeshift table.
The achadhiel's eyes sparkled briefly, as he kept his hand held out. "You can do me one small favor however, Mylady, please call me Farathorn during those times that we will spend working together. I am aware that during court and in public this cannot be so, but at least grant me that small comfort. I am not used to being addressed with a title." His last words were spoken in a normal tone of voice, to prevent gossip from starting in the palace and to throw off the kitchen staff about what kind of conversation they have had. Now they would assume that their dinner conversation has been about her lessons.
Last edited by Caelin on Sun Mar 13, 2005 6:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.