[Krome] Battle Plans

[Celeste Andaris]

29th Cylus 717

This was war and she needed to wage it carefully. Unfortunately, it was a war on two fronts and they were very, very different. Celeste Andaris was to be married to Lord Xander Krome. He seemed like a nice man, but equally she had no doubt that she seemed like a nice woman. What people seemed and what they actually were, quite often, were two entirely different things. However, it seemed very likely that they would be wed; her father had sent her here without bothering to even tell her that she was engaged after all. He had instructed her to ensure that she conducted a 'charm offensive' in the business deal which she had been here to sweeten and by all the Immortals, a charm offensive was what she was on .

Simply put, she considered as she brushed her hair and looked in the mirror at herself, she had to win over Lord Xander Krome and make him believe that they were standing together against his parents. Staging a rebellion for the little wolf pup, she thought with a smile. Then, with his parents there was quite a different war. To Celeste, the idea of her and Xander standing together and being actually united was a very good one. His parents were a hurdle to overcome and were as disposable as the hairbrush she put down and ignored. Peake was dead. Quincy and Leeson were Immortals knew where so when, as inevitably must happen, Duke Thomas Andaris shuffled off this mortal coil, unless either of her living brothers showed up out of nowhere, Celeste Andaris was first in line. Did Xander Krome know that? Did he have the first idea who he was marrying? She thought not, so she had needed to think abot that.

Which led to the yellow and white dress. It was modest but beautiful, flattering but not over the top. Her hair was washed and brushed until it shone and she had applied light and subtle make up. Nothing over the top, she rather got the feeling from just meeting him once that her future husband had no love of over the top. Standing, she looked at herself and nodded. It would have to do.

They had met just the trial before and Celeste had been both overwhelmed by the news that she was to be married and tired out from the trip. She had welcomed the large and comfortable bed she had slept in and had eaten but a little that morning, after taking a long bath. She and Lord Krome had agreed to meet in the study at noon and so, she had spent the last few breaks making some notes on parchment which she had requested from a servant. At a few bits before the time, with a last glance in the mirror, it was to the study that she made her way.

One trial, sooner than she would like, this would be her home and she would not knock. But it was not that trial yet, and so knock she did. When she heard his voice answer, Celeste wondered at the feeling she had. It was a physical thing, it had been a long time since she had felt any actual emotions she was sure. However, it was possibly a good sign; she believed so as much because she wanted to as because she did.

His voice bade her enter and she did. Celeste walked in and her eyes sought out the man she had been promised to. "Good trial, Xander. Did you sleep well?" Her question seemed, because it was, genuine. She stepped into the room and stood, hands clasped in front of her, waiting to be invited to sit. She had some parchment in her hands and she looked at him with a grateful smile as he bade her to sit down. Folding her hands in her lap she sat and then handed him the parchment. "I wrote things about myself. Just factual things but I thought it might be useful." Indeed, there was a list of things, her date of birth, her family and their birth dates ~ her parents and grandparents and brothers. Her mother, grandmother and eldest brother were deceased, according to the list. There was also a list of food likes and dislikes and the fact that she had never drunk any alcohol and was afraid of spiders.

After handing that to him she sat and gave him a few moments, letting him look at it. Of course, there was a message in there, should he look. Thomas Andaris, the Duke, was her grandfather. Benji Andaris her father, the Baron acting since her bother Peake's death. She had written "whereabouts unknown" next to both Quincy and Leeson, which moved the young heiress up to first in line for the duchy of Andaris as of this moment. Would he notice, did he already know? She watched, carefully, trying to ascertain just how politically aware and tactically astute her soon to be groom was, then she put three pieces of parchment down on the table between them. They were blank, except for the titles she had written on the top. Before (short term), During (medium term) and, finally, After (long term).

Motioning to them, she handed him the pen she had been clutching. "Since this wedding seems to be in the forefront of everyone's mind, ours included I suspect, I thought it made sense to structure our planning around it. Is this acceptable to you?" Her brown eyes turned to him with a serious gaze as she wondered whether he thought her organised or quite mad.

[Xander Andaris]

Xander had risen early as always, it was his normal routine and that was not going to change due to the arrival of a surprise guest. So he went about his normal business in the morning. First, he exercised with his sword, holding it ahead of him then above him and then out to each side. This exercise as always took only around 15 bits, it was meant to be quick so he could fit it in with his routine everyday. Normally following that he would progress straight to breakfast and work. However, with the possibility of running into his future wife he decided to first clean up. He had a wash basin in his room where he could clean his upper body well, this he would do with a cloth and then with a quick comb of his hair head on out into the house. Today he was wearing his simple white shirt and brown woolen trousers as well as his knee high boots. He looked much more like a well off commoner than a noble, that was how he preferred it, practicality and comfort over restrictive clothing.

He made his way down the hall and stopped briefly, he looked at the large wooden door behind which his intended either slept or was preparing for her day ahead. He looked at the door and considered knocking to bid her a good morning, he even went as far as to reach out his fist but his sense stopped him. It was too informal, much too early to be greeting the woman in her room so early in the morning. It would have been inappropriate and so he continued down the hallway to the stairs, only a short walk down those and you were in the entrance hall from which Xander could easily make his way to any part of the house. He knew his toast and egg would be waiting for him in the kitchen, it always was thanks to the loyal servants of the house.

He would quickly devour his breakfast, eating it with a vigour much like that of a starving man. He always ate fast in the morning, he needed energy for the day after all. He would soon change his breakfast order to a bowl of oatmeal, the giant had decided this was a good food for him to eat as breakfast and this would be his last breakfast meal of toast and eggs for the day. Instead he would switch to the slow release meal the bear-man had suggested. After he was finished he would quickly complete his rounds of the house, making sure all the servants were doing their jobs and not slacking off before heading to the study. It must have still been a break until noon and so he took up a book on tactics, a topic he was sure may one day be important, and began to read.

"There are many different ways that tactics can be described as tactics are not only related to the military form. However, for the purpose of this book we shall focus on the military tactics. The most simple but effective description of tactics is as follows: Tactics is the art of disposing armed forces in order of battle and of organizing operations, especially during contact with an enemy."

It was an interesting read and one he would continue to skim through while he waited for his guest. Which was not that long, he was soon roused from his reading by the knock on the door. "Come in." He spoke with authority in his voice which was strange as he didn't even speak like that with his slaves. Still he was happy to see his intended come in, she was wearing a quite beautiful and simple dress. Xander appreciated this, he was most certainly not a man that was over the top with fashion, his own clothes testament to that. He couldn't help but again, just like the trial before, notice that she was quite an attractive woman. "I did sleep well thank you, I hope you found your room comfortable enough and you slept well." He smiled as he stood from behind the desk where he had been reading folding the corner over on the book to keep his place.

He looked over the paper and read the facts she had written for his benefit, he actually felt his stomach lurch when he realised. She would be first in line for the position as Duchess, something he could hardly believe as he realised. All her brothers were missing or dead and so now it fell to her to inherit the Duchy after her father was gone. "So you are in line to inherit the Duchy of Andaris, that is interesting to learn." He looked into her green eyes, noticing the small specks of hazel scattered through them. "I only wish I had known earlier, I did not know I was in the presence of such a potentially powerful woman." He looked back to the paper now and examined the other facts, thing about foods and preferences there. He even let out a slight chuckle as he saw she feared spiders, it seemed so trivial in light have what he had learned prior. He was surprised to see she did not drink, very unusual for a noble not to drink. He was no exception he would often drink when in the company of others, or late at night when he was alone studying some book or planning for his future.

He took the pen but was rather apprehensive to write anything onto the pages, he was not a man that wrote much down, he found it risky. If he was to ever write down his plans for Krome and they were to be found he would be burned alive for treason. No, in his mind it was much safer to keep that in his head but for what they were likely to discuss he doubted that there would be anything he could not write down. "I think that is a fair way to go, planning can only make our chances of succeeding in our aims better. However, let us hope we do not disagree too much." He let out a short sigh and then smiled as he looked at the papers and their titles. This woman clearly liked order, she wanted to have it all worked out by the looks of things. He had never expected his marriage to be full of romance but this was certainly less romantic than he could ever have imagined. Alas, that was the way of politics and had he been a more normal and stereotypical man it may have bothered him. Yet, this was not the case.

"How would you like to begin Celeste?" He hovered his hand over the pages with the pen between his fingers ready to write once they started discussing the different plans. He was still searching for ways they could benefit each other, in light of the new information this seemed much more likely. If he could bring her over to his point of view, it was possible that they could unite the two Duchies and declare independence together. The power of Krome and Andaris would be a formidable opponent, maybe even unbeatable. He knew this might actually make him lose his Venoran alliance as he doubted Alistair would be willing to easily give up Andaris city, however, this might be the only choice if he was to achieve his goal of a free Krome.
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[Celeste Andaris]

"The room is lovely, thank you. I have sent a note of thanks to your lady mother, there were clothes in the wardrobe and cosmetics and toiletries. Most thoughtful." Was it his mother who had done that, she wondered, or was it him? Come to that it might be a thoughtful servant or that room might be the regular sleeping quarters of his mistress, assuming he had only one. Celeste did not and could not know but she hoped that she might find out by subtle means.

One eyebrow quirked and her lips lifted in amusement as he said that her being in line for the Duchy was interesting. Her brown eyes regarded him as she asked, "I take it you did not know? Indeed I am." That might well give some of these questions different answers in his eyes, she thought, but she did not say, instead remaining quiet as he read. He chuckled at something and Celeste had a look of slight amusement, too. "Spiders have too many legs to be natural. I am afraid that I descend into a quivering wreck at the mere sight." Looking at the papers with their lists and headings, he sighed and Celeste wondered what he was thinking. It was far from romantic, she supposed, to be effectively drawing up battle plans around ones wedding.

In so many ways, this seemed unutterably unfair to him. He had no idea, she knew, who or what he was marrying and yet she would not tell him. One failed engagement was hard to live with, but two? Equally, though, one trial she would inherit first the barony and then the duchy of Andaris. That probably made up for many things in his eyes but whether it was enough, well that would remain to be seen.

”How would I like to begin?” Oh, she really would rather not, in truth. Celeste looked down at the pieces of parchment and she, too, sighed. ”I had no wish to marry Alistair Venora. Yet when he did what he did, it hurt me. It hurt my reputation, of course.” It had done more than that, it had wounded her pride and hurt her self esteem. ”I suppose we should start at the end, rather than the beginning.” She reached forward and took the pen out of his hand with a gentle and slow movement. If he resisted, she did not pull, but if he did not, she placed it down and then sat back. ”What sort of a marriage do you want to have, Xander?” It was a huge question, she knew and she smiled a slight, although tense, smile. ”It appears that we can start with the easy one. I have the vague memory of my parents’ marriage and I suppose it is the same for you.”

Considering it, she spoke as clearly as she could. ”Children will be important to the continuation of the line, so I am assuming that you wish to have them quickly. I suppose, then the question comes about us.” She looked at him and she was pale underneath the blush on her face, a strange conundrum but there it was. ”I understand that you are likely to have a number of..” How to word this appropriately? She could hardly use phrases like ‘lovers’ or ‘mistresses’. ”Female friends. My ideal would be that you can tell me that, no matter how many such friends you have, you are discrete and do not introduce them to me, or bring them near any children.” It did not even occur to her, not for a moment, that he might not already have a string of lovers; after all he was a noble lord and that was what she knew and understood of such. ”It would be my ideal that you have no other children until we have an eldest, although it might be too late for that, already, of course. As long as I know, I can be fully prepared, it is just if I am ignorant of such that it runs the risk of embarrassing me or my saying the wrong thing.”

She turned brown eyes to his blue, then, looking at him with an expression which told him that she thought that she was making calm, clear and entirely reasonable points. Which she added to with more mundane questions. ”We will need to consider where we live in terms of both which duchy and which home, or whether we wish to split our time or live separately to our parents and so on. We can consider what our name is and so on, but those are practicalities, really. What are your thoughts, Xander?” She was not comfortable, but it was best that they understood things from the get go and if she was going to be faced with his lovers, she would rather know and prepare. That was how her mother had dealt with things and that was what she knew.

[Xander Andaris]

He had not in truth known of the dresses and other items that had been waiting in her room. Xander was quite surprised to hear his mother had been so thoughtful, she must really have wanted him to marry her. He wondered what his life would have been like if she had cared this much about his fate as a child. "I am sure she will be happy to hear that you like them. She is quite interested in fashion and looks, not at all like myself in that area." He gestured to his clothes and gave a friendly smile. It was strange to act like he was, it was rather out of character for his smile to ever really hold any genuine feeling. Maybe this woman was beginning to bring out parts of him he had little feeling for in the past years since his sister died.

"I had not been told, I feel quite foolish for not knowing it to be the case." He rubbed his hands together as he considered what it meant for him. He had never imagined he would be married to someone who would one day have such great power. Of course he had hoped to get himself into such a position but to be marrying someone who would most likely not have to kill and manipulate her way to power was unexpected. It appeared it was time for him to rethink he strategies and plans for the future of Krome. That in itself was complex and would be made much more difficult until he could be sure his future wife was trustworthy, he was aware that it could potentially never be that way but it was important he made sure he was ready.

He laughed a little more as she explained the fear of spiders, this new much more human and feminine side of the Lady Andaris was interesting for him to see, maybe subconsciously he had a secret attraction to the idea of being the protector. It was possible it was instinctual thing and not within his control, he made sure not to pursue those feelings further and instead brought his laughing to an end with a promise. "To add to what I could offer you yesterday I can promise to fend off any spiders that may find their way into your vicinity."

He grimaced at the mention of Alistair, he knew he should tell her and reveal that they were in cahoots with one another. Yet, he could not reveal why if he was to say they had allied together in aims, he was not even sure they still stood. He had not seen the Lord since the ball and with his new engagement it was possible the original plan would be impossible, unlikely that the man would wish to freely give Andaris over. It was the capital of Rynmere after all. "I am sorry he hurt you such, Celeste, I can assure you I will cause no such pain." He did something unexpected now and reached over and took her hand in his. It was little more than a comforting gesture but one he felt was appropriate as they were to be wed and he knew that it would entail much more than the holding of hands. "The end it is." He released her hand and also the pen into hers as she took it.

She asked him probably the broadest question possible and he had first and foremost no answer to it besides a "happy one." Though, he knew that was not an appropriate answer and so was happy when she spoke more so he would not have to give a stupid response and look foolish. "I can certainly derive what I do not want from my marriage from my own family. The memories are fresh for me." He looked at her his face serious as he remembered his childhood being raised by a butler. He knew that this butler had taught him more than his parents ever could have though, somehow he seemed more noble than his parents.

He listened intently as she continued to speak, first a comment on children and he had not really thought about it. He did know that he would one day need heirs, children to take over his house when he was done. Although in this case it may be to take over his wife's house, only time would tell in that case. "I would like children yes, as for speed I suppose sooner rather than later, we are not getting any younger after all. So yes I would like children and most likely soon after the marriage." He looked at her unsure how to progress from there, he was inexperienced and in truth when women and children were concerned he knew little.

He felt his cheeks blush as she spoke of Lady friends and he would have interrupted her had he known what to say, the fact was he was lost for words. He just looked at her, gazing into her brown eyes as her cheeks turned pale below the subtle makeup and his cheeks went red like a Venoran Rose. He bit his lip slightly as he thought how to approach this topic, one he was sure she would be surprised to learn the truth about. Apparently for some reason it must have been much more normal than he realised for Noble men to leave strings of bastards and prostitutes in their wake wherever they went. This was not the case for him and not because he couldn't. He had chosen the lifestyle he had because he had no need to be distracted by women and pointless sex, not to mention he had little of those feelings ever cross his mind.

She finally finished and Xander let out the words he had managed to formulate in his head. "Oh my Lady, you clearly do not know me yet. I may be a grown man but I have not laid with a woman and I will not be caught lying with random women any time soon. I am a man of responsibility and self control and so we do not forget, as I said before last trial, a loyal man." He looked at her now, his blue eyes expressing the truth in his admittance to Celeste. He sat forward now, the red of his cheeks very quickly dying down. "I would never think of bedding a woman besides the one I am to marry and be with, I would most certainly not bring such a woman near my own children if she were to exist." He looked into her eyes as he sat back again now, he was comfortable with himself and the fact that she need not worry about him sleeping around, that was completely against his character.

He listened as she spoke about place of living, this was a much more complex question and one with no easy answer. It would involve coming very close to his aims and things he was not yet ready to reveal. "My thoughts are that the question is a hard one, I do, however, have a possible solution to our issue there. We could live on the border of our two duchies, build ourselves a home there so that we are equally as close to where we may need to be. You when you inherit your title as Baroness and maybe even Duchess and me when I become Baron." He did not say his aims yet, he was not ready to reveal it to her. He wished for something few opposing houses could go along with unless, like with Alistair, it would help them become king or some other great position.

[Celeste Andaris]

His mother was concerned with fashion? Celeste nodded her head but did not respond ~ at the end of the trial his mother was quite a different person to her and, it seemed to him. Xander smiled at her as he spoke of his own disregard for fashion and she returned the expression, smiling at him before she realised that she was doing it. Oh, this man was dangerous, she decided. He had the kind of boy-like charm which was disarming and she was willing to bet that he had disarmed more than one opponent with that grin and those eyes.

His laughter was genuine, it seemed and when he promised to fend off any spiders, Celeste raised her chin in a mock haughty expression. "I would expect no less from my husband. Although I have, since living alone, become rather used to the glass and piece of parchment trick." She admitted, with a slightly self-depreciating expression, "I recall the first time I saw a spider, in the kitchen. I climbed atop the table and there I remained until I realised no one was coming to save me. So, eventually, I got down and dealt with it." Such it was, she assured him, living independently. "None of the dishes ever washed themselves, either," she added with a slight smile, "a fact which I found most disappointing."

When he took her hand, Celeste looked down at it in some surprise. His touch was gentle, much more gentle than she was used to and the surprise on her face was evident. Then, he spoke a promise not to hurt her. Why did he do that? Her mind was whirling with possibilities, each one colliding with another, until she realised that she was confused and staring at him. "I..that is most kind Lord Krome. Xander, I'm sorry. It is most kind, Xander." He was talking like he meant it, like this whole loyalty speech was more than just words. Celeste knew that her father would tell her that a dog's loyalty was the greatest asset to it's owner and that she just had to assert herself as head of the pack.

Ideas of such, though, were confusing for her. Not since her mother died had someone been quite so gentle in her presence. Peake would have said that a gentle man was a weak man, Celeste considered. Her father would say that a gentle man is a fool and a fool is easily manipulated. Were they right? She believed and had believed so all her life. Yet, if Xander Krome was being in any way honest, then he was speaking in a genuinely noble and caring fashion. That must mean, she concluded, that he was lying.

Throughout her life, Celeste Andaris had been schooled in the fine arts of etiquette. That meant keeping a calm demeanour but she was grateful that she wasn't drinking anything when he spoke. He told her that she really did not know him and then proceeded to continue with some very surprising information. Leaning forward he told her that there were not and had not been any other women and that he would not consider such once they were wed. Celeste looked, because she felt, genuinely confused. "My father," her voice was quiet as she spoke, "suffice it to say that I have met a lot of women in the halls of Andaris. It is well known that he has never been a faithful man. I have, no doubt, many siblings neither he nor I are aware of. My brothers had a strong role model and I am probably an aunt many times over too." There was no secret there, she was betraying no trust in saying it. She looked at Xander as a conclusion reverberated in her mind.

"My lord, if you are lying to me, I beg you not to. Equally, if you are telling me the truth I have no idea what to say to you. I had not considered such a possibility." She was torn between wonder at his words and terror of what that meant, what he would expect of her. There was so much which just seemed strange to her about this man, this barbarian noble who somehow was more noble than any she had met. Could that be the case? If so, if he was telling her the truth? "Other than to say that, if you are speaking the truth then you are treating me with more respect than I had expected. I can not express how grateful I am for that."

They moved on to where they would live then, and she nodded. A smile lit her face as he suggested that they live on the borders of both their duchies. "That sounds very sensible. I have no wish to live in my father's home, Xander, although one trial I will have to, I suppose." That would be a while in coming, she was sure. In the meantime? "I like the idea of living on the borderline. Symbolising a greater union between our two duchies. Yes, that sounds like a very sensible idea." Nerves rose in her before doing so but Celeste knew that she had to get used to this, so she reached and took his hand. "How will your parents feel about that?" She suspected they would not like it, so they would have to strategise that.

Once they had worked that out, she looked at the piece of paper, still empty and nodded. "I think we are both more clear on long term. Now, I suppose, is the wedding itself. If you could have it, putting aside all concerns and thoughts of following tradition or meeting expectation, what would your wedding be?" Her hand remained in his and she looked at him with genuine interest in his answer. It would tell a lot about him and she wondered if he had a clear idea, as she most certainly did.

[Xander Andaris]

She stared at him when he took her hand, at which point he realised he may have been crossing some kind of unspoken boundaries and so he released it from his grip. "My apologies, I should have asked if you were okay with that." He genuinely felt bad about having crossed some kind of line, it was not his intention to make her feel uncomfortable. Like yesterday if he was to make use of the marriage he needed her trust him and for her to be comfortable. He would never gain her support if she felt out of place around him, so he had to move at her pace and to make sure that he did not push her to find him awkward or make himself seem forceful.

He was not surprised to hear about her father and siblings, those southern nobles to him were the worst in this. They would run around at their fancy parties sleeping with anything that moved, it didn't matter if they were common, noble, man, woman or he was sure sometimes even animals. He had no doubt that those in the south had spread their bastards from one corner of their Duchy to the other. He on the other hand was nothing like that, he had no interest in sex for fun, not at the moment at least and nor did he care about being with them. He much preferred to concentrate on his goals and making himself the best he could be, not to mention he would not want the scandals that bastard children brought with them.

"I can assure you, I am not lying, why would I. No it is the truth, I have laid with no woman and if I am to bed anyone it will be my wife and only at her consent. I am no savage, the wolf may be my sigil but I am a man not an animal." He looked at her, a secret passion and honourability burning in the blue hues. He was not lying to her about this and nor would he, he had no reason to lie. "I am not like your family, like your siblings and your father. No, not in the slightest, I think there is much that would surprise you about me Celeste. I am not as simple as some may think and that you will soon learn I am sure."

He smiled when she thanked him though, that felt good it was like music to his ears. "There is no need to thank me, I am unlike many of my family or even my class. You will come to learn who I am with time and I can only hope that I will be satisfactory. I am a man who will be yours and only yours, and I shall not out our children through a situation where they will see any different." He looked into her brown eyes, his soul piercing gaze accompanied by his signature warm smile. He felt he was catching her, like she was beginning to trust and be comfortable with him. He was not deceiving her either, just telling the truth.

"I am glad you like the idea of building a home for ourselves on the boarder, it will make travel easier and should make a safe and happy home for our children. We can make it the perfect place for us and ready for children, it can have everything we need and provide us with a place to enjoy our lives before duty calls us to our old residences." He smiled at her leaving out that it may be much sooner than she would expect that he would become Baron and perhaps more. "My parents, I don't know how they will react but when I am a man and have a family there is no way they would refuse my wishes to live on our own."

She asked him now about the wedding in particular, something he had thought little about in his life. However, he could think of a few things he wanted from it. "Something small, just close family so it is not too big and we can easier limit who is there. Small means we won't have any unwelcome guests sneak their way inside." He did not say why they might want to sneak in but he was sure it was clear, the threat to nobles was always high and when so exposed it was even worse. "I would also say outside, being in Saun why not take the advantage of the sun, take ourselves out under a tree somewhere and be married in a small ceremony. I do not picture anything crazy just small and relaxed, something without huge amounts of pressure on us. I am sure you would like as little stress caused by the event as me Celeste." He smiled and sat back a little in his chair as he tried to think of anything else but he drew up blank.

"What would you like the wedding to be like Celeste, what do you picture for yourself in such a scenario? I personally have little preference, my only wish is that it be small everything else I am easily swayed on." He was not exactly the party planning type, give him a political campaign or a plot for revolution any day over planning a wedding.

[Celeste Andaris]

He apologised for taking her hand and Celeste shook her head. "No, I was surprised, you have no need to apologise. It is something we are both going to have to get used to, I believe." Her smile was kind and she hesitated for a moment, but then put her hand back into his. "I am. Okay with it." She was going to have to be, she knew. The thought terrified and disgusted her, but she had to deal with it.

His words, though were a conundrum again. Gentle assurances that he would not be behaving in the way that she expected him to and, something else to. A clear message. Only with his wife and only at her consent? Celeste's hand in his tightened, an involuntary movement which mirrored the surprise on her face. Genuinely at a loss for words, she wondered if he could possibly mean that. Her shield was slipping with this unexpected turn of events, she knew and she had to regain the advantage. Just, not about that. She couldn't, just could not consider it.


"Only your wife and only with her consent? No, Xander, I would say you are not like my father or brothers." Perhaps Krome were not the savages here, she thought and she frowned slightly and looked at him. "You are a confusing man, and not at all like I thought you to be." There was the understatement of the arc, she thought and Celeste watched him. Hers and only hers? But she didn't want that, none of this. Want it or not, however, it was here and she had to make the best of it. If he was the man he claimed to be, or even half of it, then he would be a more considerate and gentle husband than she could have imagined. "I hope that I manage to exceed your expectations even a tenth as much." Or at the very least not disappoint him, she considered.

He liked the idea of the house on the border and she nodded her head as he spoke of his parents. "Well, perhaps we should keep that suggestion between ourselves for now?" She considered her words carefully and then spoke again. "I am so used to not sharing what I think, I find it strange to do so. However, I suggest we consider the following." She kept her hand in his, trying her very best to get used to the feeling. When she did not think about it, it was not unpleasant. "We give them some time, whilst I mount a charm offensive. They want this marriage, there is no doubt." They both knew that to be true and they both knew why. "Then, perhaps we visit my father in Ymiden or late Ashan. We use that as an opportunity for me to grow concerned about the distance, get homesick, worry." She gave a delicate shrug and looked at him.

"By that time, both sets of parents will be fully invested. I'm hoping that your mother will be fully in the throes of wedding planning, too. It will be a small thing then, but a big one now. What do you think?" She asked him then and he described his ideas for a wedding to her. Celeste looked at him in some surprise, it had to be said, but she didn't say anything for a few moments after he asked her what she wanted. "When I was a little girl, I used to make chains of flowers and put them in my hair, a tiara of flowers for my wedding. " She smiled at the foolish innocence she had once held. "I always wanted to get married in Ashan, so that the blossoms of the tree I wed beneath were tumbling over us." Her mother had told her, she explained, that nobles did not marry in Ashan but she had remained firm. "I knew what my gown would look like, just simple and fitted and perfect. Flowers in my hair and my feet bare on the grass beneath the tree where the blossoms fell."

Celeste smiled a wry, rather ironic smile. "I agree. Small is good. We seem to both want to be married beneath a tree, so maybe we can swing that." How odd, she thought, that such a detail was there for them both. "I can forget the idea of the gown, the hair and the bare feet, I am afraid. But that's good, we are in agreement."

Then, although they had not written a thing, there was the short term. "I suppose this is the now. Between now and the trial itself, that is. If.. since we are. Well, considering everything we have put on the other two, maybe we should spend time together? Get to know each other and so on?" If it had been like she expected in terms of his vision for their long term future, then Celeste would not have suggested that but, all things considered, she felt it was best. Her gaze turned to consider him, trying to read on his face what he thought of that.

[Xander Andaris]

Much to his surprise Celeste replaced her hand in his hand, it was quite a surprise to him as he had been sure she would have been uncomfortable with it. However, when he told her he would not be spreading his genes far and wide like her siblings and parents had he felt her hand tighten. Maybe she was not as comfortable as he had originally thought when she placed it back in his. Yet, maybe it was something else, had he missed something relating to the topic at hand. It was possible she had some sort of past issue with sex, maybe something had happened with Alistair, he could not say. He also noticed her face when he looked from her hand again, the surprise at his words was clear. Perhaps it was just because it was so much against the norm for her.

She was right, he was a confusing man and not at all like her family, perhaps society had got his house wrong. "I am a man of much mystery and I can guarantee this will not be the last time I confuse you Celeste." He smiled now and even chuckled, his voice was strangely warm, almost inviting. He squeezed the Lady's hand as he looked into her deep brown eyes, for a moment he thought he saw emotion, real emotion. Then she spoke and he blinked losing the strand of emotion with it. "You have already turned out better than I could have hoped," he leaned forward and looked from side to side then whispered, "at least neither of us are like my father, immortals help us if we had been." He sat back and laughed now, not a chuckle but a hearty human sound. He quickly reeled himself in though, returning to his more serious self.

"It sounds like you have it all figured out my Lady." He rubbed his chin as he considered the ideas. He did not fear his parents and as a matter of fact would be happy to have told them outright. He did not know her father though, and for that reason her plan made more sense. "I agree to your plan, I think it make sense to give them time to become more and more invested, more and more distracted with their aims and then we can sneak past ideas that may be shot down now." He rubbed his temple for a second as he considered further and continued to listen to Celeste speak, she was full of ideas.

She was indeed correct about his mother, she would become obsessed with the wedding for sure. This would mean she would put up little resistance when the time came to tell them and his father, well his father was a pushover and Xander would have no trouble with taking care of him to avoid opposition. "I think waiting works well and we will get what we are wanting better that way and the visit to Andaris is sensible, I should meet your family before I am to become part of it." He looked at her now, searching to see if there was something hidden he should know about them. She had seemed slightly uncomfortable at their mention at some points.

He felt his mouth come apart slightly as she explained her dream wedding, it was amazing how two so drastically different people could share such close and similar ideas. He would never have imagined out of all things this would be one which they seemed to agree most. "That wedding sounds most beautiful Celeste. It is a shame we cannot marry in the season you wish, you make it sound so perfect and ideal." He smiled a little but now released her hand and rubbed both of his temples as he considered his next move carefully. He had said they would stand together yet here he felt it was better he stepped back. "Maybe you should take the wedding planning and involve my mother, it would certainly work for your charm offensive as you called it. I imagine my mother would be quite thrilled to be included in the planning." He looked at her hopefully, he was no wedding planner and it deems to fit with her aims.

"We should, I think if we want to lead a happy life and we want any future children we may have to be happy we should try to be happy. To do so we at least need to learn about on another, spend time together and learn about our interests." He looked at her and gently caressed her upper arm, a caring gesture and then spoke again. "I know this is not want you imagined or wanted for yourself, but we are in the same boat with this and I think it best we stay afloat. Better to put up with each other than bring about both of our demises." He let her arm go again and then looked at the blank pages, they had been more prompts than a noting device.

"Were we supposed to write on them my lady, I feel we have failed if that was the case." He took then pen from her hand now, if she would let him and then began to write. Starting long term like they had previously and working down to short term. Writing down all that was safe to be written and all that would be useful if they needed to recall their plans. He wrote quickly but still legibly and neat enough to clearly be beyond a commoners hand. "There, that is better, feels like we have completed something and what we set out to do now." He smiled as he paid the pen back down once finished.

[Celeste Andaris]

When he said that he was a man of mystery, Celeste allowed herself a slight chuckle. "A man of mystery? My mother warned me about those, as did the housekeeper. I will remember that." It was a very gentle joke, but it was done for a reason, as were the majority of her actions. Could he laugh at himself? How did he react to such a thing? All of these would tell her about him more than his words ever would; because his actions would be far more unfettered. Celeste was of the opinion that it was important to find out such things as quickly, and efficiently, as she could.

Just for a moment, as he squeezed her hand and looked at her, she thought she saw something else, something different. It was not, though, she was sure and in a blink he was back to the calm and smooth noble lord. When he leaned forward and whispered to her, she mirrored the movement and tilted her head to listen. Her amusement at his words lit her face, although she tried to keep her expression carefully neutral and failed. "My lord is most unkind," she admonished and then he laughed. It was a genuine laugh, not something easily faked she thought and her smile was the same.

Not only did he agree with her idea, he liked it Celeste thought. When he said she had thought of all angles he seemed pleased with that. If she'd had to guess, she'd say that Xander Krome appreciated a woman who could think. That was good and it meant that if they did unite against the world, so to speak, then he would appreciate and accept her part in that. She would have to make herself invaluable to him, she knew. Part of that, though, would be about taking on those things which he did not want to, but which were necessary.

"Then it is a deal. I will work with your mother to plan the wedding, whilst we work to plan our marriage." He wanted their children to be happy and for that to happen they would have to be. Celeste knew that he was right but as his hand caressed her upper arm, she wondered again if she could do this. Her eyes were wide and filled with a gamut of emotions as he did that, but she did not stop him. She had to get used to this, she had to. He was right, also, about them being in the same boat so she nodded. "I think there are challenges ahead for us both, but I assure you, my Lord, I will do my best." Would it be enough? Once they were married it would have to be, there was no alternative.

He took decisive action and wrote down what they had decided. Celeste smiled and looked at it. "That is exactly as we discussed. Thank you." She needed to get out of here and work out what it was that she was going to do in the face of such a reasonable and apparently noble man. More than anything, she needed a plan of battle. "I will take my leave of you, Xander, and see you at dinner tonight." Should she place a peck on his cheek? Whether she should or should not, she could not bring herself to touch him in any way and so she smiled, gathered up the papers and left.

[Inali]

Congratulations!

Celeste Andaris

Knowledge:

• Psychology: Using cognitive dissonance to gain an ally
• Tactics: Using lists and discussion to create a battle plan
• Xander: Appreciates your knack for planning
• Xander: Protective
• Tactics: Using pragmatism when planning in an uncertain situation
• Xander: Not a layabout... or a lay-around
• Xander: Loyal to a fault
• Tactics: Balancing the needs of disparate groups to ensure cooperation
• Rhetoric: Using written and verbal clues to assess an ally's motives and intent

Loot: None
Injuries:None
Fame: None
Devotion: None
Magic: These points cannot be used for Arcana.

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure:5/5

Xander Krome

Knowledge:

• Tactics (Military): Used to organize operations and dispatch foes
• Etiquette: Asking about a guests comfort to make them feel welcome
• Etiquette: Using polite thanks to express sincere gratitude
• Celeste: Organized
• Celeste: Unflinching honesty
• Seduction:Using vulnerability to engender affection
• Rhetoric: Using symbolism to emphasize a point
• Writing: Efficient script yields a concise list

Loot: Celeste's planning documents and lineage sheet
Injuries: None
Fame: None
Devotion: None
Magic: These points cannot be used for Arcana.

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure:5/5

I was curious about this thread when I saw the title popping up as you wrote it, and I'm glad I got a chance to read it. I liked how pragmatic they both were. Additionally, even though they are nobles, I could relate to them. Well written, to the point, and an interesting development in what is sure to be a lengthy plot!