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Tristan and Teddy meet for tea. Zvezdana joins them.

The seven Duchies of Central Rynmere and their respective baronies, cities, towns, villages, and landmarks each overseen by a Duke of one of the seven noble families and ultimately controlled by the King of Rynmere.
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Tristan Venora
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[Venora] Tea for Three

Saun 15, Arc 716

Tristan had done something he had never thought he would do. He had decided to spend the trial inside even though it increased the chance of him running into his grandmother or his dear aunt Willow greatly. It was simply too hot outside. The trial had already started warm, with him waking up drenched in sweat and had only gotten worse. The sun stood high in the sky, there were no clouds, and rain was not in sight, but inside the palace it was still relatively bearable as the thick walls kept most of the heat out.

He had started the trial by working on a sculpture, but eventually stopped. Even though he loved his job, there was only so much sculpting he could do before it got boring. Then he had read, surprisingly enough, a book. Sometimes after noon, as he had just been about to retreat to his room after a very filling lunch, one of the slaves had informed him that his younger brother was home, and Tristan had at once decided that Teddy would keep him company this afternoon.

In proper noble fashion – Granny Ebony would be so proud! – he had taken a piece of fine white paper and written an invitation, with a quill and ink, no less, put it into an equally white envelope and told a slave to go looking for his brother and give it to him (Tristan didn’t want to go looking for anybody in the unbearable Saun heat himself). The letter said to meet him for drinks and a chat because it had been a while since they had last seen each other. He had to admit, he had missed the boy.

He loved Teddy’s disregard for social norms and his desire to stand in the spotlight. Teddy, along with Andras, was one of the few Venoras he found bearable (quite unlike Aunt Willow, Granny Ebony and Zvezdana who had married that damn rebel who wanted to be king even though Rynmere already had a king). He also felt, even though he hated to admit it, somewhat protective of him as older brothers often did of their younger siblings.

If Teddy decided to accept his brother’s invitation rather than doing whatever it was that teenaged boys usually did, he would find Tristan in the drawing room where he sat in a comfortable chair at the table. In front of him were various pitchers with iced tea of different flavors, glasses as well as small snacks, all prepared by the slaves of House Venora and bought with his grandmother’s money (that was one of the few good things about Venora – the food was free which Tristan took full advantage of whenever he visited).

Since it was such a hot trial Tristan was dressed in light linen clothes, and so that he wouldn’t get bored until Teddy arrived, he had brought his notebook that was full of questionable (or abstract, as he called them) drawings and ideas for future plays that would hopefully make him famous. Until his little brother showed up, he would be writing in it.
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Teddy Venora
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[Venora] Tea for Three

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From the first suns’ light, Teddy had been up and practicing his singing. Aria after aria, hum after hum, ballad after ballad, the youngest Venora boy spent his time with his mouth open and his wit closed. And though it suited him to sing, to really project his crystalline voice into the brightening trial, he hoped for some dream to come whisk him from the tedium, to project him into some exhilarating shenanigan or at least moderately interesting conundrum. Anything to break up the monotony of his own voice.

What have I become?! The exasperated thought raced into his mind, wrecking all things in front of it like a runaway carriage. How dare he fall victim to the same deliberately boring metamorphosis that the rest of the people underwent? He was a Venoran. They were the most tempting, most sumptuous, most desirable people in all the world. He was not monotonous. He was anything but, surely.

He rose from his cross-legged position on the ground, brushing off his dark breeches in the process. He admired the way they adhered to the contours of his legs, showing off their lean daintiness up to his manhood. He lifted his dark crimson silk shirt, ensuring that his milky skin was still unmarred by line of his flesh folding over. Ever the vain one, Teddy smiled at the way his muscled torso rippled as he shifted his weight.

He was torn from his reverie by a house servant, silent in his padded slippers that whisked across the marble like a cat’s paws. It wasn’t until he heard the clearing of the servant’s throat that Teddy spun around, lovely shirt still clutched in his thin-fingered hand. With a knowing smile, Teddy cocked his head. The servant shuffled over and bowed low, holding the pristine envelope over his head while he kept his eyes on the floor. Teddy plucked it from his hand and opened it, unceremoniously discarding the envelope. The servant bent at the hip to pick it up.

As his blue eyes skimmed the page, a wide grin formed on his exquisite lips. Perfectly manicured eyebrows rose ever so slightly, and the wicked gleam he was known for found its way into the sparkle of his iris. He read the letter twice over and flipped the page, checking to make sure that there were no other words. With a devilish smile at the servant, Teddy puffed out his chest.

”Splendid, Lianel. I will be taking tea with my delightful brother. Clean this mess up, yes?”

With that, Teddy sauntered off to his room, lavishly decorated but sparsely used. Teddy preferred to stay out, wherever he so chose that trial, but his room did house his immense wardrobe. He rushed through the hung clothing, frowning and growling as he attempted to find something to wear. The crimson shirt could stay; it accentuated his abs enough that it was ultimately flattering. But the breeches… They were too loose. He found a pair of soft-spun snow-white breeches, pulling them on and admiring the bulge in the crotch. Not incredibly endowed, Teddy’s clothing made the only mediocre thing about him seem exemplary. Satisfied, he tousled his hair in the looking glass, taking extra time to make sure it was elegantly disheveled. He was off and heading to tea, his smirk firmly painted on his mischievous face.

And he was there and standing behind his older brother, blue eyes set on his arched form. He watched his brother scribble in the pad, but grew bored almost immediately. He strode in, confident, and tapped his brother on the shoulder, dodging the other way deftly. He slid into the chair with very little issue, slender fingers tapping on the table. He eyed the teas, all iced and fruity, with a sly smile.

”Tristan! It’s ever so lovely to see you, dear brother. How delighted I was to receive this invitation.” His eyes never left Tristan’s face, though he soaked in the warmth surrounding him. He crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair.

”How goes the art, darling?” Teddy’d heard. Many had. But he wanted to hear his brother speak. It had been so long since they’d seen each other, any words would sound so sweet.
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[Venora] Tea for Three

Tristan had just started writing to pass the time until his brother arrived, but after a while he found himself strangely absorbed in the story he had come up with, a most tragic romance between an Aukari and a Human who both burned to death in the end because the Aukari’s flaming core (or whatever the thing that made them burn was called) had malfunctioned and they had exploded. So he didn’t notice Teddy’s entrance until the younger man tapped him on the shoulder.

Most people would have been embarrassed at writing such a story and quickly snapped their notebook shut. Tristan though left it open for all the world to see (in addition to the story he’d also made a most explicit drawing of the two protagonists, naked and on fire, with smoke coming out of their ears) as he turned around to find out just who had arrived because he was rather proud of all the weirdness he came up with. As he realized it was Teddy, his face split into a huge smile. "Teddy!"

"Still as vain as ever, I see", he remarked as he looked the younger man over and smirked. Tristan’s own clothes were, while definitely of the highest quality as the clothes of a noble should be, a little looser fitting. The only good looking woman in the whole palace was currently Zvezdana whose attention he definitely didn’t want (if his pants were tighter she probably wouldn’t be able to control herself and jump him), besides he’d rather not sweat. "Does it work? Have you met anybody interesting lately?"

"The art goes well, although the war got in the way", he continued and sighed because it was oh so inconvenient. "I was going to invite the king to the premiere of my new play, but since we don’t know who’ll be king thanks to Zvezdana’s husband, I had to postpone it. It wouldn’t be as much fun without royalty in the audience. They wrote about my sculptures in the Gazette though. Did you read the article?"

As he asked that question he poured himself a drink before he offered to do the same for Teddy. "If you’d rather drink wine, I have a bottle of Granny Ebony’s best Venora Red somewhere as well. I just need to find it. I took it from her wine cellar the other day. So far she hasn’t missed it." He smiled slyly as he said that and took a large gulp from his drink and then another one because it tasted so good. The cool liquid instantly made him feel better and made the trial, at least for the moment, almost bearable.

"And what have you been up to?" he wanted to know as he set the glass down and looked at his brother again. "Did you finally become a famous singer? Or did Granny Ebony decide to arrange your marriage before you run off with a rebel, like Zvezdana? She finally got Alistair. Granny Ebony I mean, not Zvezdana. He has to marry Peake Andaris‘ little sister."
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[Venora] Tea for Three

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Teddy graciously accepted the tea offered by his brother. He knew that it would be fruity and delicious, and after the long ride, why shouldn't he indulge? Though, Granny's best red did sound better, he knew he should keep his wits about him. While Tristan may be mostly harmless due to not caring about the way that things were going, Zvezdana was the hiding snake in the tall grass. He knew that she would be poised to strike out and poison his trial at any given moment, and he didn't particularly feel like having to defend himself.

"Oh, I read the article. I'm very proud of you, Tris. Even considering inviting the King himself, eh? Well, he's not good enough for your work anyway." He chuckled, patting his brother's hand. He meant everything he said. "As for Alistair... Yes, well... I'm sure Alistair is more displeased than anyone. He and Peake were always close, and the girl is definitely no Peake in wit or stature." Teddy's grin widened his face, and he took a very small sip of the tea. It was delicious, probably one of the most refreshing drinks he'd ever had, but he didn't let it show. His blue eyes moved back to Tristan's, and he smiled.

"Honestly, brother, we'd better find ourselves wives before Grandmother finds them for us. Not that we are in the public's eye, nor do they care about the youngest brothers, but if we're unlucky enough, we'll be married to some other hag. The frown that made its way across Teddy's face made him look all the more adorable, as if he'd practiced pouting. He took another sip, and his mercurial mood switched again.

"But enough of the macabre, brother. I've missed you. I don't care to talk about business or the marital shortcomings of those other people. I want to hear about you, dear. How is your working girl? Still as fiesty as I remember?" Teddy smirked. Tristan's slave, Faith, had attacked him one trial at Tristan's house, and since Teddy had grown quite fond of her. She had the right spirit for the youngest Venora, and he liked to keep tabs on the playthings. "I quite hope she is. I can still remember the look on her face when the city guard called me 'My Lord'. Ah, Tristan, it's the smaller things in life, yea?"

Teddy laughed and took a rather large gulp of his wine, smiling along happily. It was nice to get away from everything and just sit with his brother, even if Zvezdana was going to show up at some point. Even then, she may be civil, and Teddy will be able to enjoy the trial as much as the next. Or, it'd be a bloodbath and Teddy will have a great story to tell. Either way, it lessened the dullness of the trial, and that was better than gold to Teddy.
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[Venora] Tea for Three

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Zvezdana had seen a young gentleman enter the house from the courtyard while she had been getting dressed. This young man was non-other than her cousin, Theodore. Although she had not anticipated seeing him today, she felt like tracking him down would be invigorating for her lonely morning. The thought was fleeting, but she did consider whether or not her would want to talk to her. She was the Rebel Queen after all. Well of course! They were family, and family supposedly loved one another. Besides, he would soon be cousin to the Queen of Rynmere. He would be obligated to love her then.

She moved through the mansion looking for her cousin. Now where could he have gone. The sound of muffled male voices drew her down the hallway when she discovered servants flocking to a particular doorway. They were some young girls, clearing eying some particular prey that had their fancy. She snuck of behind them, peering into the crack of the drawing room they were looking into. There, Teddy was sitting down to tea with his brother, Tristan. To think, she was going to have the luxury of talking with both of her cousins. This was getting better and better. With a shadow looming over them, one of the servant girls noted they were no longer alone. The color flushed from her face when she realized who it was. Zvezdana smiled with a hint of cruelty that signaled that the girls better leave. They skittered away, and Zvezdana took that moment to open the doors. The creek gave her away, her boots making a bit of noise on the wooden floor of the drawing room.

“His working girl is quite charming, Baby Bear,” Zvezdana purred. With a cheerful smile, she moved towards the tablet. “Cousins. It is so good to see you both. You both look healthy and well kept. Do you care if I join you?”

Not that she really was going to leave. Zvezdana placed herself in a chair across from the two, situating herself delicately as if she had already been welcomed at their table. The silver torque about her neck twisted as she moved back and forth, adjusting her red dress that Faith had diligently and delicately put on her. “I do mean what I saw Tristan. Faith is quite a charming girl. She tended to me this morning. She is very skilled. You should teach mother’s other servant girls to act as she does.”

Zvezdana was rarely sincere about the behavior of a servant, but Faith had been just about perfect. She had even taken great care to inform the girl that she had done well in her service. It was appropriate to inform Tristan he had picked a good one. She would have done it if she had done poorly too. If Faith had been mediocre, she probably would not have graced the conversation with her name. “So, what brings you both to Sabaissant. I thought you two would be busy elsewhere.”
Last edited by Zvezdana Venora on Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:09 am, edited 1 time in total. word count: 503
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Tristan Venora
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[Venora] Tea for Three

"Does Alistair have a weakness for Peake then?" Tristan asked as Teddy informed him that the girl that their cousin was supposed to marry was no Peake in wit and stature and grinned. There was a very suspicious gleam in his eyes as he leaned slightly forward so that he could hear his brother’s answer better. Gossip was one of the young noble man’s many weaknesses. There had been speculations about Alistair’s sexuality before. He remembered that Daliane and he had talked about it when they had visited Sabaissant earlier that arc. And Peake - maybe the man’s antics were just a cover for his big secret!

"I have a plan for the trial when Grandmother introduces a possible bride to me", Tristan informed Teddy slyly and confidently. Inside he didn’t feel quite as sly or confident though. He dreaded that trial. He didn’t want to get married, not to a woman that his grandmother chose for him and not even some other woman. He preferred to sleep with his slave, thank you very much! "I’ll just pretend that I’m possessed by an evil spirit and fake some sort of epileptic fit when she comes here. Or maybe I’ll put on a dress and a wig and pretend to be hopelessly in love with the stable boy."

"No woman would marry such a man, right?" he asked, hoping that Teddy would agree with him because he didn’t know how else he could deter that dreaded future bride.

"I missed you too", he said and seriously considered getting that Venora Red he had stolen. After that talk about marriage he really needed something stronger than iced tea, even if the wine would probably be lukewarm by now. Maybe he could mix it with the iced tea?

"She’s gotten even feistier", he informed his brother. The mention of his slave improved his mood again instantly. "She’s become quite the cook as well. You have to visit Andaris when I’m at home sometimes and eat dinner with me. I swear, not even King Cassander has a better cook than her!" He took another sip from his drink and was just about to ask Teddy about his private life and whether he had finally acquired a slave of his own as well, when she entered the room. The young noble instantly sat up straighter and tensed for a moment before his face split into a huge smile as if he was very happy to see her.

"Please do join us, Zvezdana", he said in an almost overly polite tone and gestured towards an empty chair. "There’s more than enough for all of us. I’ll tell Faith what you said about her. Maybe I will make her teach your servants", he mused, secretly wondering if his cousin would still be so impressed with his slave if she knew what they were doing at night. He was almost tempted to tell her just to see the look on her face.

"I had heard that Aukari had burned down a house in Venora", he answered as she asked him what had brought them to Sabaissant. "I was worried and thought I should see if you all were alright. A man by the name of Aelius fortunately agreed to accompany me and help me investigate the matter. Surely you have noticed the increased Aukari presence?" He offered to pour Zvezdana a glass, entirely willing to pay the part of the servant for now before he turned to his own drink again.

"And how come you are here, dear cousin?" he asked, not entirely able to hide the suspicion his voice, although there was still a wide smile on his face. "I thought you would be helping your new husband. He’s quite a busy man these trials from what I’ve heard."
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Zvezdana was quite happy that Tristan had allowed her to join them. His perkiness had always astounded her. She took his behavior as caring for her, than the suspicious that lay deep down in her cousin. She was certainly innocent of the things her family thought of her recent moves. Besides, she had done it out of love. She would forever justify her choices as ones made from the heart.

“I had not heard that the Aukari population was increasing. That is quite worrisome,” Zvezdana chatted thoughtfully, nodding her head when he made motions to pour her a glass of tea. Although it was not her favorite drink, they were not partaking in alcohol at the time. She felt like asking for special treatment right the moment as she interrupted their party would be rude. Not that had stopped her before, but for once, she was trying to have a pleasant day. “I am glad you and your friend – Aelius was his name correct? – have looked into the matter. I am sure my parents appreciate your help in the matter. They have so many things to think about that they probably cannot be bothered with the Aukari and a house fire.”

She took a thoughtful sip, missing the hint that there was some suspicion in his voice. Instead, she focused on the fact that he had brought up her husband. He had struck that strange cord that developed in her heart and made her seem almost human. While she sat the glass down, she gave a lighthearted giggle. “Veljorn stayed to deal with some business. He will send for me in a few days. My visit is short, but I felt that I should see my family. I never imagined that I would get to spend time with my cousins. That is a pleasant surprise.”

There was a lot more information she could give her cousins, but she felt that it was inappropriate. Veljorn had warned her of spies, and with the fact that servants had been peering through the door, she could not trust that there were not ears listening in. She probably would have been willing to share things with her cousins, for she did not suspect her own family would turn on her. Zvezdana took another sip of the tea. It was surprisingly good. “I would follow him across Idalos and back. I certainly hope the two of you find love as I have. Speaking of, Theodore, you have been quiet over there. How have you been Baby Bear?”

It was the nickname she recalled giving him when they were younger. He was not only the youngest of his family, but the youngest of the Venoran house. Everyone loved him and everyone wanted to protect him, including Zvezdana. Then again, Zvezdana only had a rough relationship with her parents and Alistair. Otherwise, she was in a delusion that the rest of her family was not that cruel.
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[Venora] Tea for Three

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As Tristan told him of his plan, Teddy grinned from ear to ear. Tristan had always been the more mischievous of the two, and Teddy could have guessed that he had some nefarious plan. Not that there was any speculation about any potential marriages, as it was. Teddy had heard no rumblings of movements for either of them, though Teddy was still underage. Regardless, Tristan's plan was a comical one, and Teddy shared a laugh with him.

The biggest surprise was Zvezdana's appearance. After speaking with Alistair, Teddy had certain ideas about Zvezdana and her husband, but he decided to not ruin the visit because of it. In fact, Teddy buried his notions under his usual charm, smiling brightly as his cousin sat with them. As Tristan poured her a glass of tea, Teddy gushed.

”Why, dear Zvezdana, what a lovely surprise to see you this trial. I’m quite glad that Veljorn has business in the city. This is quite the delight.” He smiled warmly, reaching out with a petite hand to squeeze Zvezdana’s hand. For some reason, it never bothered him when Zvez called him “Baby Bear”. Perhaps it was because it was all he could remember her calling him, or that it sounded to pleasant coming from her. Either way, Teddy appreciated the affectionate name.

”I was beginning to wonder, sweetest Zvezdana, whether we would see you before the season was up. This is the most beautiful time of the year in Sabaissant, it should be graced by the most exquisite of our clan.” There was nothing false in Teddy’s tone. In fact, he believed that she was the loveliest in physical beauty. She had a quality about her that was simultaneously stunning and commanding. It was necessary, he knew, for her to have such a quality and be in the position she was in.

”Tris and I were just discussing your brother’s arrangement to the Andaris girl. Though no doubt you’ve been busy, surely you’ve heard? Hmm… What was her name again? Sellout, or something similar.” His grin took on a malicious slant, and his eyes sparkled with the fire of gossip. He reveled in gossiping like Tristan did art. To him, it was an art of its own. ”Celeste! That’s it. Garish, but effective, I suppose.” He leaned back and sipped from his tea, a smile coming to his lips.

Speaking of Celeste made Teddy want to frown, but nothing could dim him, it seemed. Even Alistair’s impending nuptials couldn’t ruin the swelling love he was feeling, the ocean of emotion after his visit with Lazuli Warrick. He could feel his cheeks growing warm and red, and nearly burst trying to keep the information in.

”It turns out, I may have a prospect for myself, should Grandmother approve. Young Lazuli Warrick. Perhaps you two know of her? Alistair sent me to speak with her, and I fell absolutely mad with love. I’ve lost sleep. My hair is disheveled.” It wasn’t. ”There are bags under my eyes.” There weren’t. He was flawless. ”In truth, I would love nothing more than bring her here and show her the beauty of Venora. I was advised to wait until after…” He trailed off as he realized where he was headed with that. With a practiced smile, he squeezed Svezdana’s hand. ”Until after I’ve had time to seek approval from the family. Which includes the two of you. What do you think?”

He was positively radiant when speaking about her, sitting up straight like a young child who just discovered the sweetness of sugar. His eyes shone as he sipped his tea, and it was obvious that they could not disagree with him without upsetting him greatly. He was so eager and anxious, he could barely remain still.
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[Venora] Tea for Three

"It is worrisome", Tristan agreed. "But Aelius and I managed to deal with the threat, at least for the time being. It was quite an adventure. We even saw a couple of Aukari. Did you know that they look just like us?" He smirked as he said that and wondered what Zvezdana and Teddy would say if they knew that he had bought a horse just for the occasion, because he had been too lazy to walk to walk to Venora – and that he had named it Maxos, after a certain infamous tax collector. For a moment he was tempted to just tell them everything, all the weird little details, but even he knew that some things were better kept a secret, so he just poured his cousin a glass of tea.

As Zvezdana spoke of love, he could not help but raise an eyebrow. Did she really love the man or did she just love his power? Zvezdana had always been an ambitious woman, a woman that wanted more from life than to just be the second child of Kaleb and Willow Venora, and there was nothing better than to rule Rynmere. He furrowed his brow slightly as he dimly recalled something he had read in the Gazette a while ago. Had Veljorn not been engaged to a Warrick? Whatever had happened to his original bride?

"You absolutely have to tell me how you two met! I’m a sucker for such romantic stories!" he informed her and smiled brightly as if he were so very happy that his cousin had finally found love and wanted to know everything about it. In truth he just wanted to know how she had managed to make Veljorn abandon his fiancée and marry her instead. Sure, Zvezdana was a beautiful woman, but risking a powerful ally just for her?

As Teddy addressed Zvezdana he rolled his eyes and tried his hardest not to laugh out loud. By Zanik, he had been worried whether he had laid it on too thick! Sweetest Zvezdana. Really? He just hoped that his brother didn’t really believe that!

He cast a glance at Teddy, but unfortunately nothing about the look on his face or the tone of his voice revealed what he was really thinking, so he decided to drink something.

As Teddy spoke of his infatuation with Lazuli Warrick, he nearly chocked on his tea and started to cough. For a moment his face turned bright red. After he had regained his ability to breathe, he just stared at Teddy incredulously. What were the chances that his little brother would fall in love with the woman that Zvezdana’s husband had once been set to marry?

"If she gives you insomnia and bags under your eyes, you should reconsider your love for her", he remarked in an overly serious tone before he asked the question that he probably shouldn’t ask, in a very innocent tone of voice, "Hasn’t she been engaged before?" He stopped for a moment and added, because he didn’t want his little brother to be too mad at him, "I’m glad that she found love again though. You do of course have my approval. I would love to meet her sometimes! I’m happy for you, brother."

He really was because the whole thing was so very scandalous. It was a story that was exactly to his taste!
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“Oh Tristan, I can tell you are just looking for a new story to base a play on. You are a true thespian. I shall humor you in your request. Veljorn and I met at the Warrick tournament. His bride-to-be was not interested in his advances, so I had given him a token on her behalf. Or so I thought. Maybe my intentions were true, but my motions were taken another way. I went to meet with him late last season, and in our discussions, love bloomed. We had to have one another, for one reason or another. We were wed quickly, but we knew it was meant to be,” Zvezdana trailed off at the thought, her eyes glistening like a school girl’s. It was nice to talk about something whimsical now and then.

She would give credit where credit was due, and that was to Theodore for his politeness and charm. Teddy had always been good to her, even if they were never close and saw each other infrequently. Being considered the ‘most exquisite’ tickled her ego. Then he spoke of grimmer topics. Alistair was to be married? Not only that, but he was to wed a member of the Andaris family? It was quite a revolting thought, and Zvezdana took a moment to swallow some tea to choke down the taste that the comment left in her mouth. Her tone was crisp, but she tried to be sincere in her wording. She was not here to cause trouble. “I had not heard that Alistair was to be married. Maybe a marriage would be good for him. It might make him human.”

Zvezdana’s mood seemed to darken when he began to speak about Lazuli. Not because of his love for the girl. This was actually a pairing she would approve of. Maybe Lazuli would consider the letter she sent with Vivian a few trials back with tenderness because she was now free to love Theodore without the binding of an engagement to Veljorn. No, her mood darkened because she was beginning to grow curious of his reason for meeting with Baroness Warrick in the first place. Who had set up the meeting and what was he being advised to wait for? Clearly his desire for family approval was a tactful lie. She may have had her head wrapped up in ambition, but she was still capable of clean thinking. Zvezdana smiled, despite the darkening look in her eye.

“Well, you certainly have my approval. Maybe my graceful move to take Veljorn for myself will bring good fortune to the two of you. Now Lazuli is free to wed anyone she chooses, if the families are in agreement,” Zvezdana took another sip of tea, scrunching her nose. She really could use a glass of wine right now. “Yes Tristan, Baroness Warrick had been engaged to my now husband, Veljorn Burhan. Despite what may have been said, there are two reasons I went forward with my marriage to Lord Burhan. One, I did it out of love. Two, Lazuli deserves to choose whom she loves, not be tied down by tradition and a betrothal. If Baby Bear is whom she wants, Baby Bear is whom she should have!”

The second reason was the little known reason to the rest of Rynmere. She expected that everyone believed that she pursued her marriage to Veljorn for personal gain. Yes and no. She sincerely loved her husband. She wanted nothing more than to be a good wife. If that meant she needed to be a good queen as well, that was just dandy. Soon, all of Rynmere would see her for the benevolent soul she was.

The chatter seemed to die down after her last comment. The three of them sat there awkwardly, unable to relate to each other. A Venorans, one would think they would have a million things to talk about: politics, family, the estate, anything really. Instead, they had nothing in common except for their distrust of each other. Zvezdana sipped her drink once or twice more before conceding. Her cousins wanted nothing to do with her. She seemed to agree with this sentiment.

"Well, cousins. It has been an awkward pleasure. I realize that I must prepare for my husbands arrival. Please excuse me," She picked herself up as she said these things, curtsying before exiting the room quickly. Whether or not she had other things to tend to, no one would ever really know.
I have altered this post to close this thread so that Tristan may reap the rewards from his efforts. I apologize for the abrupt end to this story and will accept any fault in my reflected review.
word count: 786
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Deceased. Wrapping up open threads.
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