Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

As guests arrived, Oliver saw to it that each was met with and greeted personally. The first thing he'd learned about being a gracious host was to make oneself known immediately. The second was to supply wine or spirits immediately afterwards. Sauntering towards Nathaniel Endor as he entered, Velaine on his arm, Oliver smiled widely. He had not heard that they had been paired, but he was rather glad they had. The other Krome was wild and uncouth, and would likely make an appearance. But Velaine, she was something else... Simmering cunning under an exterior of polished ceramic. Or so he'd heard.

With a hearty red in hand for Nathaniel, and a bubbly white for Velaine, Oliver stopped in front of them both with a wide grin, stark white still pristine yet. Holding out first the glass for Velaine, then the other to Nathaniel, the host knew it would be ungracious of them to decline. The only one he expected to decline all evening, in fact, was Charlotte. He hoped that she and Darcyanna would be down at some point, though they might already have been. He'd been so busy watching as the guests entered that they could have slipped down behind him, stabbed him in the spine, and sailed to Rharne before he would have had time to consider his misfortune.

Bury the anxiety. It was his father's voice.

"Lord Endor, and Lady Krome. I must say that I am pleasantly surprised to see the two of you intertwined. And rumour has it that you have paid the Lady's entrance fee, Lord Endor. How gallant." Oliver's dark eyes cooled to a liquid teal, mercurial as the black threatened to return at a trill's notice. Straight teeth shown as his smile split wide his face, and he sipped the same brusque red he'd offered to Nathaniel.

"There was a time where it was whispered that I'd be betrothed to Lady Velaine. Such is my misfortune, evermore." Oliver smiled politely, acutely aware that Charlotte may be standing behind him. It was true, though. Manu and Kalani had discussed with the Kromes the thought of marrying Velaine to Oliver, and what a pairing that would have been. The consummate politician pairing with the gorgeous wolfchild. The pairing would have been one of tenacity and passion, that was for sure. Oliver would be lying if he'd said he had not thought of it on lonely nights a few arcs prior. Still, though, he was content where he was, though Velaine's striking figure in her dress did nothing to dull the ache of missing out on the opportunity when it had presented itself.

"But more than congratulations to you, Lord Endor. Here I was, thinking the most delectable item in the building would be the roasted goose Jirelle has prepared. I am pleasantly disappointed." He took and kissed Velaine's hand, standing back to smile at Nathaniel and Velaine.

"Should the two of you be hungry, though, my chef has prepared quite the spread. I ask desperately that you eat something. It seems none of the stuffed-shirts will, though the small-folk have no reason not to. The few who have shown up so far have been indulging like it's their last day on the solid ground." He chuckled, brushing a black speck off his shirt. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the dress that Charlie had chosen, and in it, the most exquisite figure he'd ever seen. Letting his eyes drift only for a moment, he took a mental still of Charlie standing in her dress before readdressing the couple in front of him.

"Or, if you're not hungry, I have plenty more wine and beer to go around. Please, make yourselves comfortable." He smiled again, but Charlie's curves in that dress clouded his mind like a darkening storm.

His betrothed had not been that far behind him. It seemed that the man at the door had managed to keep good notes on who paid what when and where. She had managed to get in unhindered. Nathaniel smiled warmly to her as she made a joke of his floppy hat. He blew the feather back up as it was flicked about his face so that it would stay in place. "It is my pleasure, Lady Krome. This is a charity gala. Just use your nel to do what you can to make Krome look as good as you do tonight."

He offered his arm as they had practice before, half a season ago before things had gone terribly awry. With her arm safely tucked under his, he guided her through the ball, nodding politely but avoiding all conversation until his target was achieved. Of course, some aristocrat had waylaid them long enough for Oliver to beat him to the punch. Their gracious host had found them first, but it was welcomed none-the-less. He bowed deeply to their host as he arrived, taking the offered wine happily. Finally, something that was useful to ease the tension. This may be a party after all. "I see your ears are everywhere Lord Venora. Although your loss is my gain, I am certain you will find great happiness elsewhere. There is plenty of fine ladies about the Kingdom. I, however, would not trade Velaine for any of them."

As Oliver went in for the kiss on Velaine's hand, Nathaniel felt himself stiffening. He knew this was common etiquette within the Kingdom. It was a sign of respect; yet, he found it hard to accept another man's lips on her in any form. Nathaniel stuffed the feelings away, filing it as a thing that needed to be addressed in his own mind.

"We shall have to taste Jirelle's delicacies. I am sure they are the finest, given that Venora provides the Kingdom with much of their supply. I am sure the common folk appreciate your generosity Lord Venora, as do all the nobility and aristocracy in attendance," Nathaniel smoothly stated, somewhat impressed with himself. Those were some very big words to use so early in the night. His mother would have been proud. He took another sip of his wine, hoping to make this polished side of him go away as quickly as possible. "Is there a woman here that you intend to claim as your own? There must be a few eligible bachelorettes among us still."

He had caught the faintest drift of their host's eyes but did not dare look behind them to see what skirt he was looking at. It certainly would have been rude and his question was well poised to get the information he desired. As much as tonight was about those of lesser fortune, it was certainly full of political players with desire to establish themselves for the good of their houses. His parents had wanted him to get out there and make a name for himself - for them. He was mostly here for the memories, Venoran wine, and good old fashioned fun.

Oliver's eyes calmed to a liquid midnight, settling into the coolness of the end of the trial. He observed first Velaine, his eyes flashing as she spoke, before turning to Nathaniel. He was not surprised by Velaine's impeccable etiquette, nor Nathaniel's lack of it. There were jokes around the kingdom that the Bears and Wolves were kept outside for a reason, though few exceptions remained. Velaine was a trained wolf, one who knew how to eat the sheep around her before they realized she had teeth. Oliver remembered admiring that about her, and wondering if she would ever turn that seductive and quick blade towards him. Time would only tell.

"Indeed, my Lord Endor, my loss. Though, I must say, the two of you make quite the handsome couple. Your children will rival the beauty of those in Venora, I have no doubts," he complimented, allowing the words to hang in the air for a moment. Another mental flash of Charlotte exploded into his mind, dampening his vision while he saw Charlie sashaying her way towards him in the crevices of his mind. Shaking his head, he returned just as Nathaniel asked if he was going to make one of the women there his.

"Mine? Lord Endor, I doubt very much any woman in this room would allow herself to be anyone's, your date included. The thing about being raised with everything is that you tend to pick up a sense of self-importance, and some of us more than others, eh?" He asked, smiling at Nathaniel. There was a glinting edge in his eye, but he was only teasing. He opened his mouth to reply, but Charlotte appeared at his elbow, and Oliver smirked.

"Wow, Nathaniel. Are you a summoner?" He asked, turning to admire Charlie's exquisite makeup and hair. His heart pounded, and he let his eyes stay a few trills longer than they should have before he turned back to the couple. "Were I to be lucky enough to be claimed, this young lady here would be the one. Charlotte Warrick, Lady Velaine Krome and Lord Nathaniel Endor. Lord Endor, Lady Velaine, this is Charlotte Warrick." He kissed Charlie's cheek, briefly, but was sure that it was seen by at least a few. Smiling, he knew the rumour mill would begin shortly.

"Lady Velaine, I am told that since your brother's marriage to Celeste Andaris, you are now the next-in-line should your parents abdicate," he smiled, his mind considering it too garish to mention their deaths. He tilted his head, cool black eyes shifting to a deep blue as he looked at Nathaniel.

"Will you be making Lord Endor here Duke Krome? What a gain indeed, eh, my lord?" He smiled sharply at Nathaniel again, once again teasing him. Turning back to Charlie, Oliver's impishness did not fade.

"I was once told I would be married to Lady Velaine, Charlotte. Mother and Father had hoped that one of us would take to the other, but the Fates just weren't on our side. Instead, we are here, and ostensibly happier, no?" He smiled and offered an elbow for Charlie to hold on to, turning back to the two before them.

"I suppose I use the term with less concern as to the effect that it might have. In Endor, there is plenty that a woman might be protecting from, my men included. Velaine may not need me to fight her battles, but may betrothal to her gives me the duty to do the best that I can for her on all fronts. Being raised with everything does not mean that you know or have everything. I sometimes find those that are poor have more than those that are rich. Happiness is priceless." It was not eloquent like the silver-tongued Venora, but he felt that it was honest. It was only then that there are party got just a little bit bigger.

Before he could really press Oliver for more information on what he was staring at and what clearly had most of his attention, he found a rather sultry woman sneaking up from behind him to place herself firmly at Oliver's side. The pair of them looked quite stunning. It took everything in his being to prevent him from appreciatively taking a good look from top to bottom. With Velaine so close, he felt it absolutely necessary to ensure that he was one hundred percent loyal to his own interest. Together, they looked far more professional and hawkish. With Velaine's conservative garb and his own branded dress, they appeared to be here out of commitment to their families. They did not reflect socialite behavior by any means; even if they could pull it off decently with words. Taking lessons from Oliver, Nathaniel reached for Charlie's hand and bowed enough to place a light kiss upon it.

It was a kiss for a kiss in his mind. "Sergeant Warrick. A pleasure. Do not place weight on Oliver's words of magic. I am certainly no summoner. This day in age would have me thrown into a cell or worse for breaking the new laws."

Was Oliver making jabs at him? He knew fully well the weight that the betrothal between him and Velaine. Nathaniel evidently had a hard time with sarcasm and teasing, having never had the privilege of growing up with siblings. He missed a lot of cues that a sibling might have taught him. Instead of teasing, he took the sharp smile as a poke to his intentions. Velaine was also correct. He did not have much of a choice. "If the duchy were to fall to Lady Krome, then I would certainly support her claim to it; however, do not think that it was my intention to wed for title. My mother saw to excel her position through me. As you said yourself, Lord Venora; we are ostensibly happier for the choices made."

Nathaniel couldn't tell if he was being coarse with his words. He had not intended to, but everything was beginning to get confusing. Politics confused him in such a large room with so many moving parts. One minute, he could be praised for paying for a moment and the next he could be berated for talking with another woman. If that were to happy, he would begin to see into the very soul of Rynmere's nobility. Seeing it for the monster that it was. While he took a sip of his wine, another couple approached their group. His eyes flitted to the two registering one as Velaine's older brother, Xander. They had met briefly, but Nathaniel would not lie; he did not know the wolf turned dragon.

"Baron Andaris," Nathaniel said crisply, having not received a more formal greeting aside from the acknowledging head nod. It was not surprising that he placed all his focus on Velaine, but Nathaniel found himself tensing at the dismissive word he was using. Companion? Nathaniel had spent a great deal of time in the brothels of Andaris. Caius would know. Companions were partners, assistants, and potentially attendants. He considered Marshall his companion. He did not consider Velaine as his companion. She was his betrothed and thus elevated above a level a companion might be. He eyes darkened as the thoughts raced through his head. He could hear Marshall's deep chested laugh in his ears; a figment of his imagination that would have been reality if the manservant was not sleeping upstairs. "Do not fear Xander. As her husband-to-be, I will take good care of her and House Krome."

There was significant undertones in the last part of his statement. Xander was now an Andaris. How would he take to seeing a "companion" sit upon the Duchy's seat of his home. He said little else to Xander but his thoughts about the whole interaction were acidic.

Someone was going to have to start cleaning up his messes or he was going to have to remove himself before he caused too much trouble. To keep himself occupied, he eye the chest of nel that had been offered as a donation. When he could get Velaine alone, they would have to discuss their donation. He vaguely wondered how much House Andaris was donating. Raising his glass to take another sip, he found only disappointment when he realized that it was empty. Apparently his anger had caused him to drink faster than he had realized.

Sard...

A flash of lightning white sparkled through his eyes at Nathaniel's words, mirth splitting his face like a young maple sapling under the axe. He reached out a manicured hand and squeezed the bigger man's shoulder, offering nothing but comradery in his tone and demeanor. The smile on his face was borne of true good-naturedness, and he harboured no ill will towards Nathaniel for his fortunate betrothal.

"My lord Endor, please take no offense to my words. The Rose is prone to having barbs, but it never means to sting for long. I am sure Lady Velaine is far more content to spend her life with you than she would have been to spend it with me. I was merely musing on the propensity life has for inserting unsuspecting circumstances into our routines."

Looking down, Oliver noticed the man's drink, but Bria was already on her way with the wine. From across the room, the host nodded in thanks, Bria's face lighting up. She was stopped by a man from Burhan, but would soon again be on her way. Holding up his own glass, he angled it towards Lady Velaine, a secret smile dancing upon his lips.

"And to their continued health, but insistence on early retirement, then." He smiled and lifted his glass to his lips, the smoky whisky passing through to wet his tongue, sending fire through his system. Smiling, he looked to Charlotte, whose talk about being a Skyrider gave him another polite reason to scan the crowd. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and he spotted Darcyanna and Caius from across the room.

Darcyanna's laughter tinkled to his ear even through the crowd, though later inspection offered the possibility that Oliver contrived it. The gala was certainly something Venora needed, but he and Darcy also needed it. Their shared history gave special importance to the public events, where the two of them had made their appearances together. They were often lauded by each and every politician as polite and stately, always. To share that again, especially after the early half of the season, was something special. When he turned back to the conversation, though, Lord Andaris had appeared.

A twinge of disappointment stung Oliver's stomach at having missed his arrival, and especially that of his wife. He made a point to remember to greet Celeste later, but took the opportunity to paste a dazzling smile onto his own face at the greetings of Xander. His eyes melted back to their usual shark-black, and Oliver reached out and took his hand in a firm shake. Catching the brief look of confusion on his face at Charlotte's presence, Oliver dropped the hand and grasped Charlotte's, catching Xander with a pointed look, though the smile never wavered.

"My Great Lord Andaris, I am far more humbled by your appearance than you should be at my invitation. I hoped you would come, but resigned myself to the idea that you'd be too busy. I hope Baroness Andaris is doing well. She must be close to delivery, no?" He smiled, having heard recently that Celeste was with child. "And this, my Lord, is Lady Charlotte Warrick, Sergeant of the Skyriders." He made sure to pointedly emphasize the 'Skyriders', as they were Rynmere's most effective military force.

He gripped her hand tightly, ensuring that she understood the message. Hoping that she would follow his lead, Oliver waited patiently for her to greet Xander, and smiled when she did so. So far, so good.

"Do you know if you will have a son or daughter, my Lord?" Oliver asked, genuinely interested. The fetus growing inside Celeste would one day be Duke of Andaris, and Oliver thought it prudent to know his dignitaries. Even the future ones.

Especially the future ones.