• Closed • [Venora] Playing Pretend with Pretty Presents

Celeste seeks Andraska's advice on wedding gifts.

17th of Saun 716

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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Andráska Venora
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[Venora] Playing Pretend with Pretty Presents

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"My two natures had memory in common."
  • 17th of Saun, 716
  • The shrieks and laughter of children echoed from the Venora courtyards, their mothers perched under the shade of lush trees to wash the laundry or hang the sheets to dry. They women smiled openly, watching the young lord chase the gaggle of youth, each dressed in simplistic servant's clothing, but beaming with happiness. All of the children, ranged from anywhere from a toddler to ten arcs old, perked up at the new game the Venora had invented.

    "Andra! Andra! I wanna be the maiden too!" a little girl with blonde braids shouted. She was jumping up and down in excitement and must have been around six or seven.

    The young lord looked up from the laughing toddler in his arms, wrestling to keep her in his grasp while she kicked and screamed in delight, "Another maiden for me?" he grinned, a tiny fist colliding with his chest, "Say no more!" Letting out a mighty roar, Andraska swooped in and serpentined across the lawn as the boys of the group chased him with wooden sticks.
    The knights let out battle cries and swung, but the dragon leaped out of the way. Nearby was a blanket that had been set up - a dragon's lair and the noble charged towards it, setting down the toddler and pretending to blow fire at his pursuers. One boy started flailing, falling to the ground while his partner 'revived' him.

    András jumped and rolled across the green grass, his white shirt coming up with a streak of green across his back. Sometime during the game, the lord had discarded his tie and untucked his shirt, the thin black neck piece tossed aside along with shoes so shiny, it was very evident they were never worn for long. His socks had also come off, as his feet were bare when he ran towards the girl who had declared herself his next victim and he scooped her into his mighty talons. She screamed for help and the knights came charging. Lord Andraska tried to spin away to his lair, but when he turned to it, the little toddler was racing away across the lawn in a fit of giggles. "A princess and an escape artist!" he shouted, changing course last minute and trying to chase after the toddler with the other girl in his arms. The boys screamed battle cries and the dragon had almost recaptured the second maiden when the knights cornered him. A stick poked him in the back, and Andras swatted theatrically at the attacker. Another light hit on his leg, and down he crumpled to his knees, shielding the girl from any stray hits. One more mighty blow and he released the maiden in his arms and roared one last time, collapsing into the grass and dying.

    The children cheered and then one of them jumped upon his chest, signalling the others to do it also. Each little weight pressed upon him and he grunted from the impact, unable to get up. They all were asking him a thousand questions. Can he be the knight next and the boys be the dragons? Were maidens allowed to escape? Were dragons real?

    "M'lord?" a soft voice addressed him and immediately the children silenced. On any other day when Lord Andráska was away, they were put out of sight and out of mind from the household, left to do chores or chase boredom in tiny quarters. It was a nice reprieve for them all, but they knew the rules. They shuffled off him and he propped himself up, squinting the sun away to look at the servant girl before him. "Lady Celeste Andaris is here to meet with you."

    She sidestepped to reveal a well dressed figure standing a ways off with deep ebony curls and a soft face. He sat up and brushed stray pieces of grass from his lap. It was no secret Andráska wasn't a fan of meeting with other nobles, one of the reasons he had put off on replying to her letter for so long. But he had agreed to meet and here she was. How long she had been watching, he wasn't quite sure. Andráska smiled at the pretty figure and waved, pushing himself from the lawn and walking towards her.
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Celeste Andaris
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[Venora] Playing Pretend with Pretty Presents

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Celeste was here to talk about her forthcoming wedding. It was a strange thing to talk about, even the words seemed utterly ridiculous to her, but that didn't make a difference. It was still happening, whether she wanted it to or not. So she had made some decisions in her usual manner. Calm and calculating, controlled and thoughtful. She needed to understand the man that she was going to marry and she needed to make the most of this situation.

So, she had sought out the younger Venora. Andraska. They had seen each other, of course, growing up in the nobility of Rynmere it was inevitable. He was, she had always thought, the typical youngest son. Bored, frustrated, not really sure of who he was or what he was doing. But if she was correct in what she remembered from their childhood, those times that she had seen him at least, he had been a kind boy and seemed to be close to Alistair. That was what she needed right now so she had chosen him.

Standing there having been let in to the garden where he was, Celeste stood and watched.She was rather surprised by what she saw and she touched the servant's arm and shook her head. "One moment" she instructed, not expecting the woman to disobey because that would be just dreadful. Watching him playing with the children Celeste could not help but feel a slight emotion, her face smiling ever so slightly but genuinely. However, soon enough he lifted his head and Celeste stepped forward as he did.

"Lord Venora. It's good of you to see me" she said and she glanced at the children behind him "Especially in light of your most mighty defeat there." Her tone was serious, but her eyes had some mirth in them as she looked at where he had fallen with a mighty roar. "I wanted to speak to you about your brother, if I might? We can sit out here if it is more to your liking" she gestured to the area where they were. In fact, if she was honest, Celeste might prefer that, it being more public. The bruises around her neck had faded and were no longer visible, but the woman in front of him, who had at least been a child he knew of, had a look about her that she had never worn in any of the dull, formal and restrictive events that they had been forced to attend as children. She looked nervous, just a little skittish, not at all how she normally was.

Her hands were clasped together firmly, fingers entwined together as she stood, but her eyes moved around and alighted on a table, nestled under a tree. The top of it was a beautiful delicate thing and Celeste motioned with her eyes to the table. "Maybe a seat in the sun will be nice? And you can tell me how you are. We are going to be sib..siblings" the slightest stumble over that word and she hoped he did not notice. "and I would very much like it if we could also be friends" she admitted with a smile. The young woman knew no one in Venora, as yet, and she had a feeling that she could use every advantage she could get.

"I wanted to ask your advice, actually. I am considering what would be most suitable to give to Alistair as a wedding gift, and I wondered if, as his brother, you had some insights which might help me make it personal and thoughtful" she explained, looking at him and wondering what he would say. Would he tell her of his brother's proclivities? She didn't think so. Would he give her some trite meaningless answer? She didnt think that either, but she would have to wait and see. Considering that it was a simple question about a gift, there was a lot riding on the answer.
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Andráska Venora
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[Venora] Playing Pretend with Pretty Presents

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"My two natures had memory in common."
  • 17th of Saun, 716
  • Celeste had noticed his defeat and the youthful male grinned and ran a hand along the back of his head a few pieces of stray grass falling from his dark hair. So, the pretty girl wanted to talk about his brother. How funny, “Of course,” he said after a moment, motioning for the spot in the sun where she had suggested, “I’ve been well,” A lie. Andraska cleared his throat and glided in place beside her as they walked, “Can’t complain.”

    He could, of course. There was a war. He had lost control and assisted in the death of a man. His siblings were off getting married at an alarming rate, leaving him a bachelor of the direct Andaris line. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other,” Andras commented casually, stealing a glance at the woman beside him, “I was surprised by the arrangement. I mean,” How should he word this, “It not that you’re not a good candidate or anything, it just…” Didn’t make sense? Honestly, Andras wasn’t sure if his brother even liked woman, having seen two men roll out of his closet just a short time ago. He didn’t dare say this to Celeste, not quite sure if she could be trusted, and certainly not with that. Nobles were precarious things, “Sudden."

    Andras shrugged, "The way I see it, the gift shouldn't have to bring one. Isn't that what you are? A gift to Venora. If my brother asks for more than what you already will be, than he's being selfish and doesn't deserve you. Just be yourself."

    “As for the wedding,” the two reached the table, and Andras nearly overlooked proper etiquette, but froze mid step and pulled the chair from its place as an offering to her. He smiled softly, green eyes searching for the answer, “I’m sure whatever you come up with will be fine. I wish I knew what Alis liked. He’s a bit hard to understand sometimes. We’re very different. Oil and water.” The lord looked to the manor, "I would like to play a song for him" he leaned back, his eyes smoldering with an sudden intensity, "Alis doesn't process emotion the same way I do, and I carry enough for the both of us. My music is the only way for me to give him that," he hesitated for a moment, "I don't know if it will be written by the wedding, but if you wanted to help me with it, give me feedback... I'd appreciate it."

    Unlike oil and water, the brothers got along. For the most part, at least. It was just… Alis was stoic and serious. Andráska liked games, and his emotions controlled him, pulling him this way and that on a tornado of impulse. He sat forward in his own chair, leaning on his elbows as he watched the woman in front of him. Very suddenly and without reproach, he had to ask, “Do you really want to get married to Alistair?”
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Andráska Venora
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[Venora] Playing Pretend with Pretty Presents

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"My two natures had memory in common."
  • 17th of Saun, 716
  • Before Celeste could answer, another servant approached, this time with her face strained with discomfort. “Forgive me, m'lord,” she seemed to know she had interupted at an inopportune time, but whatever the reason she was urged to retrieve him, it made her uncomfortable. András could see it in the strained attempt at calm, “Your parents request your audience,” she breathed, clearing her throat, “In regards to... Your sister, Zvezdana.”

    This made his eyebrows rise, and he glanced at his guest, “I see,” he wasn't quite sure what it could be about. Didn't she get married, or... at least was about to get married? Was she here, or...? Andras hadn't had an earnest conversation with Zvezdana in ages, and as far as he was concerned, she hadn't bothered to tell him about Veljorn. He had to find out through Alistair. Their relationship was as... distant as ever, at least on her end. What trouble could she cause?

    He stood, nodded politely to Celete and reached forward to pat her hand, “Excuse me, won't you? I'll be back as soon as I can.”

    Something in the way the servant walked, fit tightly together and with quick, shuffled steps, made him nervous. His parents demanding his attention was also new. Most Venora matters were left to others, not him, so to be included was... unsettling. He only glanced over his shoulder once at the woman in the garden, disappearing into the manor to find out just how much trouble his sister could cause.

    He didn't return.
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Avrae Kyric
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[Venora] Playing Pretend with Pretty Presents

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A Review by Summer Rain


Name: Andraska Venora

Knowledge:
Running: The Art of Giving Chase
Storytelling: A Dragon Who Stole a Princess, Classic Storytelling
Storytelling: Andddd.... death! The Dramatic End to a Fanciful Game
Etiquette: Saying Things are Fine When They're Not
Etiquette: Pulling Out a Lady's Chair

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Fame: +1 (General Good Deed, Played with Children)
Devotion: N/A

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5
Magic: These points may NOT be used for magic.

Comment: I absolutely loved this thread. There was little to nothing wrong with it. The only thing I noticed was a few typos like when Andraska "leaped" and it should have been "leapt". However this was not anything near enough to give a less than perfect grade. Seeing Andraska play with children was adorable, and he very much seemed like a child himself. It was nice to see that side of him, and it's a shame this thread couldn't have continued. I would have loved to have seen what would have been discussed between the two. But you get kudos for wrapping it up. Looking forward to reading more of Andraska. <3

Given that she abandoned this thread, I have not added Celeste into this review. However, should she return and PM me, I would be happy to give her part of the review.
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